PRIME MINISTER

Ministerial Replies

Eric Forth: To ask the Prime Minister what recent changes he has made to the practice and conventions relating to ministerial responsibility for replying to questions and adjournment debates in the House; and if he will make a statement.

Tony Blair: I have made no such changes. Paragraph 1 of the Ministerial Code sets out Ministers' responsibilities in relation to Parliament and the public.

Job Sharing

John Bercow: To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Office.

Tony Blair: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on Monday 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 780W.

Air Conditioning

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what measures were taken to ensure that the consultant advising on the installation of air conditioning in No. 10 Downing street, was aware of the Government's policy on the use of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants in air conditioning; and if he will make a statement on the measures taken by the consultant to source practical and safe alternatives to hydrofluorocarbon-based air conditioning;
	(2)  whether an installer capable of installing not-in-kind air conditioning was invited to quote for the recent refurbishment contract for No. 10 Downing street; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  which consultant was used to advise on the installation of air conditioning in No. 10 Downing Street.

Tony Blair: A comfort cooling system was installed in parts of No. 10 during 2001. The Cabinet Office sought expert advice through its managing agent and appropriate appraisals were made including taking account of Government policy on the use of HFCs. The installed systems comply with all current relevant European standards on the use of HFCs and safety in the workplace.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Transport

Chris Grayling: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the work being done by the social exclusion unit on transport.

Barbara Roche: The social exclusion unit's project is looking at how poor transport can prevent people from getting to jobs or key services such as health and education.
	A report will be published later this year.

Transport

Bob Blizzard: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the social exclusion unit's study into the role of transport in welfare to work policy and access to services.

John Prescott: The social exclusion unit was asked by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to look at the relationships between poor transport and social exclusion in April last year.
	The SEU project is looking at how poor transport can prevent people from getting to jobs or key services such as health and education.
	A report will be published later this year, with policies for improving access and preventing social exclusion.

Codes of Conduct

Paul Tyler: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what role he and his office is playing in the review of the ministerial code of conduct and the code of conduct for special advisers.

John Prescott: A revised ministerial code was issued in July 2001. Since then, in response to a recommendation from the Public Administration Committee, the Government have agreed to amend paragraph 27 of the code. A revised model contract for special advisers incorporating a new code of conduct for special advisers was introduced for all appointments made after the election in June 2001.

Duchy of Lancaster Benevolent Fund

Peter Pike: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what resources have been distributed by the Duchy of Lancaster benevolent fund during the past 12 months.

Christopher Leslie: My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster has asked me to reply.
	Lord Macdonald is not a trustee of the Duchy benevolent fund. The Secretary of the fund has provided the following information. During the 12-month period 1 March 2001 to 28 February 2002 the Duchy of Lancaster benevolent fund has distributed approximately £285,000. The fund's annual report and accounts will be produced at the end of the financial year on 31 March 2002.

British-Irish Council

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he next expects to meet members of the British-Irish Council to discuss investment in the border areas of Northern Ireland.

John Prescott: The British-Irish Council has agreed to take forward work in the following priority areas: drugs, the environment, the knowledge economy, social inclusion, transport, tourism and tele-medicine. There are no current plans to discuss the issue of investment. Responsibility for investment in the border areas of Northern Ireland lies with the Northern Ireland Executive.

Ministerial Code of Conduct

David Cameron: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what plans he has to amend the ministerial code of conduct; and if he will make a statement.

John Prescott: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend earlier today to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Turner), Official Report, column .

Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the proportion of ethnic minorities and women that have been appointed to public bodies in the past 12 months.

Christopher Leslie: Information contained in Public Bodies 2001 which was published on 14 February 2002, shows that as at 31 March 2001, women held 34 per cent. of appointments made to the boards of public bodies, and people from ethnic minority backgrounds held 4.8 per cent. of appointments. This is an increase of one per cent. and 0.4 per cent. respectively on the previous year.
	In addition, also published on 14 February 2002 was "Public Bodies: Opening up Public Appointments 2002–05". This publication contains individual departmental plans to increase diversity in public appointments.

Neighbourhood Renewal

Siobhain McDonagh: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what progress have been made by the social exclusion unit in research into neighbourhood renewal.

John Prescott: Since the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy was published in January 2001, the Social Exclusion Unit jointly with Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions, have published one further report related to neighbourhood renewal in July 2001: "Changing Fortunes: geographic patterns of Income Deprivation in the late 1990s". This sets out baseline information on income deprivation and recent social trends at the local level. It will be used in monitoring progress of the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy.
	Responsibility for implementing the Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy moved to the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit in April 2001.

Departmental Employees (Hearing-Impaired)

Tom Clarke: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when he intends to meet the Royal National Institute for Deaf People to discuss the employment in Government Departments of people with hearing impairments.

Christopher Leslie: The Deputy Prime Minister has no plans to meet the Royal National Institute for Deaf People.
	The Government are committed to employing disabled people including those with hearing impairments and all Departments have targets to increase the number of disabled people they employ. 3.6 per cent. of staff in the civil service have declared themselves to have a disability. This includes 1.7 per cent. in the senior civil service.
	Action to support this commitment includes participation in the two-ticks disability scheme and sponsorship of Ready, Willing and Able which advertises a range of civil service vacancies.

Government Services

Andrew George: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what recent assessment he has made of the proportion of Government services delivered by Government agencies and other bodies operating at a regional level.

Barbara Roche: No such assessment has been made but Government policy stresses the importance of providing public services that respond to users' needs, including area-based programmes that tackle the problems of particular localities.
	There are currently 126 executive agencies providing a wide range of public services.
	In addition, a wide range of public bodies also have responsibilities for the delivery of particular services at a local, regional or national levels.
	The forthcoming White Paper on English Regional Governance will look at the relationships between some of these bodies and elected regional assemblies.

Civil Service Bill

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister when his Department expects to publish a draft civil service Bill.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to my earlier answer given to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker), Official Report, column .

Child Care Services

Caroline Flint: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what assessment he has made of the contribution of regional Government offices to the development of child care services as part of social and economic regeneration.

Barbara Roche: This Government recognise that child care programmes can make an important contribution to social and economic regeneration. The Government offices for the regions are helping to improve the delivery of front-line services, for example sure start and other child care and nursery initiatives, by making effective connections between such programmes and the other programmes that they support.

Poverty

Paul Goggins: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what action he is taking to reduce poverty in the north-west.

Barbara Roche: In the north-west, around 230,000 people have gained from the national minimum wage; the working families tax credit makes work pay for nearly 180,000 families. The minimum income guarantee ensures single pensioners will receive £100 a week by 2003 and more than 1.4 million pensioners have seen the biggest rise in basic state pension for a generation.
	Following the Social Exclusion Unit's reports, local partnerships are harnessing the power of all the sectors to tackle the problems of deprived neighbourhoods supported by new minimum standards for mainstream services.
	The Government Offices for the Regions administer programmes to tackle deprivation and poverty. For example, the north-west receives £243 million through the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.

Poverty

Linda Gilroy: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the role of his Department is in tackling urban poverty.

Barbara Roche: The National Strategy for neighbourhood renewal action plan was published by the Social Exclusion Unit in 2001. Its goal is to ensure that no one is seriously disadvantaged by where they live within 10–20 years and to narrow the gap between the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest. Many of the most deprived neighbourhoods are in urban areas.
	The strategy addresses the wider causes of poverty and social exclusion with targets to improve employment levels, educational attainment, health and housing and to reduce crime in the most deprived neighbourhoods. This is backed up by substantial investment. The Neighbourhood Renewal Unit, based in Department for Transport Local Government and the Regions, is responsible for taking this forward. The Government Offices for the Regions work with the NRU and other Departments to administer specific programmes like the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund.
	The SEU continues to work with all Government departments to ensure that social exclusion issues are addressed.

Departmental Staff

Christopher Chope: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff left the service of his Department and its agencies in the year ended 31 March 2001; how many left before attaining the formal retirement age of 60 years; and in respect of how many his Department and its agencies assumed responsibilities for making payments until retirement age.

Christopher Leslie: Figures for (a) and (b) are in the table, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.
	The figures show the number of permanent staff in each Department reported to the Mandate database from 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001.
	They are also based on the Departments as they were before structural changes were made after the election in 2001.
	For part (c) in the year ended 31 March 2001 the Cabinet Office and its agencies assumed responsibility for making payments until retirement age (60) for 13 of these staff.

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister if he will set out for each civil service grade within his (a) Department and (b) Department's executive agencies the (i) total number of staff employed, (ii) number aged (A) 16 to 25, (B) 26 to 35, (C) 36 to 45, (D) 46 to 60 and (E) over the age of 60 years, (iii) number of registered disabled and (iv) number of ethnic minorities.

Christopher Leslie: The figures are in tables and represent the data reported to the Mandate database and supplied in manual returns as at 1 October 2001, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House. Mandate is a central computer based record of information for almost all civil servants in the home civil service. For some Departments and agencies, summary figures are provided in a manual return, which may not always be fully consistent with Mandate information, for example, because of minor differences in timing. Breakdowns by age are purely figures reported to Mandate. Departments and agencies are responsible for their own grading structures, but these have been allocated to broad responsibility levels to give a common basis for tabulation.
	Figures are on a head count basis, for the number of permanent staff in each Department. The figures are based on the Departments following the structural changes made as a result of the 2001 election. Figures for total staff in each Department are rounded to the nearest 10 and figures by grade level are suppressed if less than five.

Advertising

Alex Salmond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the expenditure was per campaign for the five most expensive media advertising campaigns his Department undertook in the past five parliamentary Sessions including the current parliamentary Session in (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland; and for the last two parliamentary Sessions and the current Session, when each advertising campaign (i) began and (ii) ended in (A) Scotland, (B) England, (C) Wales and (D) Northern Ireland.

Christopher Leslie: Expenditure on media advertising campaigns by parliamentary Session and country is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Advertising

Alex Salmond: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister what the cost was of media advertising in each of the past five parliamentary Sessions including the current Session, for his Department in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland; and for the last two parliamentary Sessions and the current parliamentary Session, what the media advertising expenditure was per month in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Christopher Leslie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Twickenham (Dr. Cable) on 12 December 2001, Official Report, column 939W.
	Expenditure per month is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

WALES

Comprehensive Spending Review

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in the last 12 months from the National Assembly for Wales regarding the Comprehensive Spending Review.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 24 January 2002, Official Report, column 1004W.

Departmental Publications

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many (a) press releases, (b) guidance notes and (c) publications his Department issued in each month since July 1999.

Paul Murphy: The information is as follows:
	
		Press releases issued
		
			   1999 2000 2001 2002 
		
		
			 January n/a 5 5 11 
			 February n/a 5 5 9 
			 March n/a 13 12 — 
			 April n/a 9 8 — 
			 May n/a 10 3 — 
			 June n/a 10 6 — 
			 July 0 12 6 — 
			 August 1 5 3 — 
			 September 7 6 9 — 
			 October 8 10 8 — 
			 November 4 8 15 — 
			 December 10 7 6 — 
		
	
	Note:
	The figures for press releases do not include operational notes.
	The Wales Office has issued four publications— in February, May, November 2000 and April 2001 respectively.
	The Wales Office does not issue guidance notes.

Secretary of State's Office

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the job title of each member of staff in the Office of the Secretary of State for Wales.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to figure seven on page 17 of the Departmental Report 2001 (Cm 5121) which is available in the Library.

Public Service Agreements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Public Service Agreement targets which have been revised and those which have been introduced since the publication of the 2001 departmental report.

Paul Murphy: My Department does not have a Public Service Agreement.

Special Advisers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number and expected cost to his Department of special advisers in (a) 2001–02 and (b) 2002–03.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to answers I gave the hon. Members for Epsom and Ewell (Chris Grayling) and for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 23 January 2002, Official Report, columns 856–57W.

Parliamentary Questions

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to answer the question of 13 February from the hon. Member for Buckingham regarding staff involvement in union duties.

Paul Murphy: I have answered today, at columns 1074–75 below.

School Children

Ann Clwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what recent discussions he has had with the First Secretary of the National Assembly for Wales on measures being taken to encourage school children in coalfield areas to stay on in full-time education beyond age 16.

Paul Murphy: I have regular discussion with the First Secretary and his Cabinet Colleagues on a range of issues affecting Wales.
	The Assembly is committed to widening access to education for all those who have the ability to benefit from it. Their 10-year plan, "The Learning Country" which was published in September, includes specific targets to increase the participants in post-16 education and training and to attract larger numbers of students into higher and further education, helped by substantial new provision for access funds.

Official Visits

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 
	(1)  if he will list the official visits within the UK outside London made by each Minister in his Department in 2001, giving for each (a) the origin and destination and (b) the mode of travel used; and what guidance is provided to Ministers in his Department on choice of mode of travel for official visits;
	(2)  if he will list the official visits to (a) Paris and (b) Brussels made by each Minister in his Department in 2001 and the mode of travel used; and what guidance is provided to Ministers in his Department on the choice of mode of travel for such visits.

Paul Murphy: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 421W.

Union Duties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many staff in his Department, agencies and non- departmental public bodies receive paid leave to undertake union duties; how many days they are allocated; and what has been the cost to public funds in each of the last four years.

Paul Murphy: There has been one staff member elected as union representative with an allocation of eight days per annum to undertake union duties since the creation of the Wales Office in July 1999. The Department has no agencies or NDPBs.
	Information for the former Welsh Office is not held centrally.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

Supermarket/Supplier Relations

Peter Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  when she intends to review the operation of the Retailer Code of Practice;
	(2)  what measures are in place to monitor the operation and impact of the Retailer Code of Practice.

Melanie Johnson: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Code of Practice on supermarket/supplier relations comes into force on 17 March.
	The Director General of Fair Trading is responsible for monitoring and reviewing the operation of Fair Trading Act orders and undertakings. His office has been in contact with relevant trade associations to ensure that the code operates effectively. In addition, the code provides for the independent dispute mediator to supply the Director General with an annual return of his work.

Internal Market, Consumer and Tourism Council

Michael Connarty: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the outcome was of the Internal Market, Consumer and Tourism Council on 1 March; what the Government's stance was on the issues discussed, including its voting record; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: There was a presentation from the Commission on its Cardiff report on economic reform, followed by a debate. Conclusions were adopted on the outcome of this year's Cardiff process, which are to be submitted to the Barcelona spring council. The council also adopted conclusions on the Commission's proposal to set up a computerised system (SOLVIT) to help improve the handling of complaints from citizens and businesses facing problems caused by the misapplication of internal market rules. The Council also adopted a resolution on the labelling of video and computer games.
	There was a Presidency briefing on the Community Patent followed by a lunchtime discussion. There was a Commission presentation on its newly published proposal on computer implemented inventions (software patents), which aims to clarify the law in this area.
	The Presidency initiated an exchange of views on the changeover to the euro from a consumer perspective and there was also a Presidency progress report on work during its term so far of simplifying, clarifying and updating the EC procurement directives.
	There was a Commission briefing on the Green Paper on EU consumer protection and a progress report on amended proposals for a Council regulation on the statute for a European Co-operative Society, which would provide co-operatives with a legal framework to enable them to operate freely across borders on equal terms of competition with companies.
	There were no legislative items on the agenda for agreement. However, Council conclusions on the Cardiff process, the SOLVIT problem solving database and standardisation were all adopted, with the UK in favour. The Council resolution on the labelling of video and computer games was also adopted with the UK in favour.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent advertising Business Link services in the past five years; what the nature of this advertising has been; and what the assessed outcome of each campaign has been.

Nigel Griffiths: Information on advertising spend prior to the set-up of the Small Business Service in April 2000 is not available.
	Since April 2000, £4.2 million has been spent advertising the Business Link services at a national level. This includes two years of publicity activities.
	In March 2001, there was national newspaper, radio, and directory advertising (this covers insertions for a year in directories such as Yellow Pages) at a cost of £1.3 million. At this stage, no baseline awareness figures were held. 10 per cent. unprompted awareness and 55 per cent. prompted awareness of Business Link were findings from the National Omnibus Survey of Small Businesses, August 2001.
	In October 2001, there was national newspaper, TV, online, direct mail and directory advertising at a cost of £2.3 million, with follow up national newspaper and online advertising in February 2002 at a cost of £0.6 million.
	Evaluation and tracking of this advertising was carried out and the effectiveness of the campaign was also measured by the results of the National Omnibus Survey of Small Businesses, November 2001.
	The advertising exceeded its response targets and there was a 55 per cent. increase in calls to the contact centre and a 96 per cent. increase in user sessions on the website over the two-month campaign period compared to the two months prior to advertising.
	Levels of unprompted awareness of Business Link increased from 10 per cent. to 14 per cent., and levels of prompted awareness increased from 55 per cent. to 58 per cent. There were significant increases in awareness among female entrepreneurs, with unprompted increasing from 5 per cent. to 14 per cent. and prompted from 23 per cent. to 63 per cent.
	Spring 2002 advertising activities are still running and so no assessment of outcome is possible.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which advertising agency was consulted with regard to the Business Links advertising campaign in October 2001; what the remuneration of the company was; and what the assessed outcome of the campaign has been.

Nigel Griffiths: The advertising agency used was Ogilvy and Mather. Ogilvy and Mather were paid £170,538 for the October campaign, which represents 8 per cent. of the £2.1 million total spend on national newspaper, television, and online advertising at this time.
	Evaluation and tracking is carried out for the campaign, and the effectiveness of the campaign is also measured by the results of the National Omnibus Survey of Small Businesses, which showed significant increases in both prompted and unprompted awareness of Business Link:
	Levels of prompted awareness increased from 55 per cent. to 58 per cent.
	Levels of unprompted awareness increased from 10 per cent. to 14 per cent.
	Levels of awareness among female entrepreneurs also increased from 5 per cent. unprompted to 14 per cent, and from 23 per cent. prompted to 63 per cent.
	The advertising exceeded its target of 53,000 responses to the web and contact centre by achieving 81,937 responses during the advertising period.
	There was a 55–60 per cent. increase in calls to the contact centre during the campaign period and a 77 per cent. increase in website hits. Web user sessions increased 96 per cent. from an average of 39,000 hits in the two months prior to advertising to an average of 76,500 in the two months campaign period.

Business Links

Brian Cotter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many staff have been employed by Business Links in each region in each of the past five years.

Nigel Griffiths: Business Links are independent autonomous organisations and figures on the number of staff they employ are not held centrally.

Disaster Planning

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance with disaster planning she provides to small businesses.

Nigel Griffiths: The Government have established the Civil Contingencies Secretariat (CCS) to improve the UK's resilience to disruptive challenges at every level through improved anticipation, preparation, prevention and resolution.
	The SBS and its business link network can also advise companies on a number of disaster management issues. Companies should contact their local business link operator. The business link website: http://www.businesslink.org will put small firms in touch with their local provider.

Regional Development Agencies

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 
	(1)  if she will make a statement on measures to improve public awareness of the roles of regional development agencies;
	(2)  if she will make a statement on the costs of measures to raise public awareness of the roles of regional development agencies over the next three years.

Alan Johnson: Significant developments in the role of the regional development agencies have been and will continue to be publicised through departmental Press Notices. In addition the DTI maintains information on the RDAs on its website. Ministers will continue to raise public awareness of the role of RDAs through speeches and in other ways. There are no specific plans to hold additional events to raise public awareness.
	It is for the RDAs to ensure that they maintain a sufficient public profile in their regions to fulfil their role as the champions of regional economic development, and to ensure public awareness of their activities. Press Notices, publication of their various strategies, their corporate plans and their annual reports, and maintaining websites are some of the ways in which they do this.

Debt Management Companies

Mark Lazarowicz: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will take steps to improve the capacity of clients of debt management companies to obtain compensation after receiving bad advice from such companies.

Melanie Johnson: The Director General of Fair Trading issued guidelines for debt management companies last December to ensure they deal fairly and openly with their customers. The guidelines require debt management companies to respond promptly and fairly to complaints about their services. They also require that a contract should set out the circumstances in which a consumer may withdraw and receive a refund and should not include any term which says or implies that there are no circumstances in which a consumer is entitled to a refund.

South West Regional Development Agency

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if she will list the administrative costs of each of the organisations which were merged into the South West Regional Development Agency in each of the final three years of their independent life.

Alan Johnson: These costs are not held centrally and it would incur disproportionate costs to assemble the information requested. The administrative budget of the South West Regional Development Agency in 1999–2000 was £7.086 million, but this reflected the total administration of the agency, not just the costs of the legacy organisations.

UK Coal Plc

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what state aid has been received by UK Coal plc in the last two years in the aggregate; and how this was apportioned to each colliery.

Brian Wilson: UK Coal plc has received £75 million under the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme in the last two years. These sums have been awarded in respect of four collieries, apportioned as follows:
	
		
			  £ 
		
		
			 Harworth colliery 14,722,100 
			 Maltby colliery 13,559,700 
			 Rossington colliery 3,207,200 
			 Selby complex 43,511,000 
			  
			 Total 75,000,000

UK Coal Plc

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications she has had with UK Coal plc in relation to their decisions on shareholder dividends over the last two years.

Brian Wilson: There have been no communications between my Department and UK Coal plc in relation to their decisions on shareholder dividends over the last two years.

UK Coal Plc

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what approaches have been made to her Department by UK Coal plc with a view to extending the state aid scheme of deep-mined coal subsidy beyond its present expiry date.

Brian Wilson: I have received no formal request from UK Coal plc for an extension of the UK Coal Operating Aid Scheme, although the matter has been raised informally in meetings with officials.

Prince of Wales Colliery

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications she has had with UK Coal plc relating to the possibility of continued state aid for the Prince of Wales Colliery beyond the present expiry date for state aid; and what her estimate is of (a) accessible coal reserves at the Prince of Wales colliery and (b) the cost of accessing these reserves.

Brian Wilson: No state aid has been paid in respect of the Prince of Wales Colliery, and I have received no request for such aid.
	IMC Group Consulting Ltd undertook a detailed review of the Prince of Wales Colliery on behalf of the DTI in January. This examined the extent of reserves and the costs of their access in a number of possible development scenarios. It concluded that there were no areas that would sustain long-term viable production. The report is available on the DTI website on http://www2.dti.gov.uk/ energy/pow/pdf.

Company Law Review

Nigel Waterson: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what conclusions she has drawn from the results of the company law review; and if she will make a statement.

Melanie Johnson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Weston-Super-Mare (Brian Cotter) on 15 October 2001, Official Report, column 982W.

Development Planning

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the role of councils in the planning process in the next five years.

Sally Keeble: I have been asked to reply.
	The Government have set out in the Planning Green Paper "Planning: delivering a fundamental change" proposals to significantly simplify the arrangements under which County, District and Unitary councils are responsible for preparing and adopting development plans. We will put forward firm proposals once we have considered the responses to consultation, which finishes on 18 March. Thereafter implementation will depend on the making of necessary changes to primary legislation.

TRANSPORT, LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND THE REGIONS

Mersey Basin Trust

David Chaytor: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the future of the Mersey Basin Trust.

Sally Keeble: The Mersey Basin Trust is a registered charity and as such its future is a matter for its Trustees to determine in the first instance.

London Underground

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether (a) the conditions precedent, as referred to at http:// www.railways.dtlr.gov.uk/lunderground/factsheets/safety/ index.htm and as published by his Department on 11 February, are signed and (b) other conditions, which must be satisfied before the final contracts on the London Underground PPP, include the contractual safety cases for each infrastructure company.

David Jamieson: I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave him on 4 March 2002, Official Report, column 88W and 11 March 2002 Official Report, columns 735-36W.

London Underground

Mark Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what percentage of deep sub-surface line mileage on Britain's roads is subject to speed restrictions; and by how much this has changed in the last five years.

David Jamieson: I understand that the hon. Member is referring to deep and sub-surface lines on London Underground. This is an operational matter for London Underground who have provided the information in the table.
	
		Percentage of London Underground Network subject to speed restrictions
		
			  Deep tube lines Sub-surface lines 
		
		
			 Percentage of Network subject to speed restrictions at 1996–97 year end 0.1 6.2 
			 Percentage of Network subject to speed restrictions at 2001–02 year end 0.3 3.5

Local Authority Boundary Fees (Shipment of Dead Bodies)

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the charging of boundary fees by local authorities for the shipment of dead bodies.

Alan Whitehead: Local authorities do not charge boundary fees for the transport of dead bodies between local authority areas. However some authorities charge higher fees for the burial of those from outside their area. This is in accordance with the Local Authorities Cemeteries Order 1977.

Martin Sixsmith

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions whether he was informed on 15 February of the conditions mentioned in Sir Richard Mottram's statement of 25 February upon which Mr. Martin Sixsmith had agreed to resign.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 5 March 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by Sir Richard Mottram, the Permanent Secretary of my Department, on Monday 25 February 2002. A copy of this is available in the Libraries of the House.

European Road Link

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions for what reason the road link to North Wales envisaged in the Essen agreement did not follow existing routes via the M6 and the dual carriageway along the North Wales Coast.

David Jamieson: The M6 and the North Wales coast road (A55) are part of the Ireland/United Kingdom/Benelux road link. The decision to include the A5 and A483 in that link was taken by the previous administration and approved by the European Council on 23 July 1996. I will write to the hon. Member on that aspect.

Local Government Finance

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what proportion of local authorities received grant increases of retail prices index for 2002–03.

Alan Whitehead: All English local authorities received grant increases at least as large as the annual increase in the RPI.

Planning Appeals

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to bring in a third party right of appeal against planning decisions.

Sally Keeble: As indicated in our Planning Green Paper, published on 12 December, a third party right of appeal against the grant of planning permission could add to the costs and uncertainties of planning. We cannot accept that prospect. We believe that the right way forward is to make the planning system more accessible and transparent and to strengthen the opportunities for community involvement throughout this process. Proposals to achieve this were set out in the Green Paper.

Planning Appeals

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what estimate he has made of the costs of introducing new planning obligations set out in the Planning Green Paper.

Sally Keeble: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stafford (Mr. Kidney) on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 31W.

Housing (West Midlands)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what assumptions have been made about building cost inflations in his Department's assessment of business plans for stock transfers in Coventry, Walsall and Birmingham.

Sally Keeble: The business plans for housing transfers are commercially sensitive documents that are considered by the Housing Corporation as part of the transfer process. Each housing transfer will make its own assumptions for building cost inflation over future years.

Housing (West Midlands)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what discussions he has had with Birmingham City Council about the impact of the proposed demolitions over the next five years on homelessness in the city; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: The Government's priority is that all social housing should be made decent by 2010. Birmingham has a plan to achieve this through a housing transfer. Where the appropriate course of action involves demolition of properties this should be based on an assessment of likely future demand, the rate at which properties will be relet and where necessary proposals for new build.

Housing (West Midlands)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what contribution the Government are making for stock transfer purposes towards the payment of (a) Walsall's housing attributable debt and (b) Walsall's debt breakage costs; and what is the contribution to each from (i) Walsall MBC and (ii) Walsall Housing Group.

Sally Keeble: The contributions from the Department, Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council and Walsall Housing Group towards the repayment of Walsall's housing attributable debt will not be known until a final valuation is agreed for Walsall's housing stock.
	The Department does not contribute to a local authority's debt breakage costs. The local authority redeeming the debt usually meets this cost.

Railtrack

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions on what basis he expects the successor body to Railtrack to raise funds on commercial markets.

David Jamieson: Railtrack's successor needs to be financially sound with a strong investment grade credit rating sufficient to finance the required expenditure efficiently. It is for bidders for Railtrack to propose to the Administrator how they will raise funds in commercial markets.

Railtrack

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if the successor company to Railtrack in administration will be in the private sector.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 12 March 2002
	It is for the Administrator to consider all proposals for the transfer of Railtrack plc's property rights and liabilities put to him, and for me to approve any transfer scheme put to me by the Administrator under Schedule 7 of the Railways Act 1993.

English Partnerships

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what consultation with hon. Members is planned over the future of English Partnerships.

Sally Keeble: The review of English Partnerships was announced to both Houses on 16 October 2001. During stage one of the review, a number of hon. Members have taken the opportunity to write to Ministers and to the review team on issues of concern. These letters have been taken into account in coming to a conclusion on stage one of the review.
	Stage two of the review, the remit for which will be published as part of the stage one outcome, will offer hon. Members further opportunities to make their views known.

Coalfield Programme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what criteria are being used to determine whether the coalfield programme be maintained by English Partnerships or the regional development agencies.

Sally Keeble: In determining whether the coalfield programme should continue to be maintained by English Partnerships or the regional development agencies, a judgment will be made as to which approach offers the most efficient and effective method of delivering the national coalfield programme.

Coalfield Programme

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  within what time scale an agreement will be reached between English Partnerships and the East Midlands Regional Development Agency over the infrastructure works and marketing of the former Manton pit site;
	(2)  what the budget is for English Partnerships to bring the former Manton pit site to the market.

Sally Keeble: To date £4.35 million has been committed by English Partnerships to allow the reclamation and marketing of the Manton pit site by the East Midlands Regional Development Agency. Reclamation and agreed infrastructure work has been completed and the site is currently on the market.

Local Government

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what his estimate is of the cost to the taxpayer so far of running mayoral referendums in local authorities in England;
	(2)  what his estimate is of the cost to the taxpayer of introducing new executive structures on local authorities.

Stephen Byers: Information to estimate the costs and savings of introducing new executive arrangements, including the holding of mayoral referendums, is not currently available centrally.

Local Government

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the administrative costs were of local government reorganisation in each local authority that has been restructured since 1990 in (a) cash and (b) real terms, expressed in 2002 prices.

Stephen Byers: This information is not available.

Local Government

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans he has to introduce annual elections for local government in England.

Stephen Byers: We have no plans to introduce annual local government elections in England. As stated in our White Paper 'Strong Local Leadership—Quality Public Services' we will be inviting the Electoral Commission to propose options to simplify the current cycle of local elections.

Empty Council Houses

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will publish figures for the number of empty council houses, broken down by region, in England, for each year since 1997.

Stephen Byers: The number of council houses reported as being empty in each year since 1997 by region in England is as follows:
	
		Local authority vacant dwellings on 1 April
		
			  1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 
		
		
			 North east 8,300 9,000 9,400 10,000 9,300 
			 North west 16,300 18,700 18,800 19,600 19,500 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 12,200 12,800 14,000 15,400 14,600 
			 East Midlands 5,600 5,100 5,400 6,100 6,100 
			 West Midlands 9,200 10,000 11,200 12,800 10,600 
			 Eastern 4,200 3,900 3,900 4,000 3,900 
			 London 18,500 15,700 14,700 12,900 11,100 
			 South east 4,100 3,700 3,700 3,600 3,000 
			 South west 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,800 2,200 
			 England 81,200 81,700 83,900 87,200 80,300 
		
	
	Note:
	A level of vacancy is a usual feature of housing management, reflecting turnover and movement within the stock. There is likely to be some variation in the proportion of dwellings vacant in a local authority from one date to another during the year.
	Source:
	Housing Investment Programme (HIP) returns.

Non-Governmental Organisations

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to his answer on 5 March 2002, Ref: 39179, what information he collates on the funding of non- Governmental organisations by his Department, with particular reference to those operating on a regional level; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: The Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions does not hold information centrally on the proportion of its various budgets which go to organisations operating in the charity/voluntary sector.

A6 Rothwell/Desborough Bypass

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions 
	(1)  what provisions have been made to maintain access to public footpaths after the construction of the A6 Rothwell/ Desborough bypass;
	(2)  what provisions have been made to reduce the noise impact of the A6 Rothwell/Desborough bypass.

David Jamieson: I have asked the Chief Executive of the Highways Agency, Mr. Tim Matthews, to write to my hon. Friend.
	Letter from Tim Matthews to Phil Sawford, dated 13 March 2002
	I have been asked by the Transport Minister, David Jamieson to reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about the A6 Rothwell/Desborough Bypass.
	The bypass affects five public footpaths. Two will continue on their present route with suitable crossings where they meet the bypass. Two will be subject to minor diversions with new crossing arrangements to provide safer crossing points. Stiles will be placed in any boundary fences at all of the crossing points. The other footpath will be diverted to cross the A14 at an existing road bridge. Access for footpath users will be maintained across the line of the by-pass during its construction.
	In line with the Government's commitment to using quieter road surfaces for all new roads, the new bypass will have a low-noise road surface.

Social Services SSA (Stoke-on-Trent)

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the elderly personal social services standard spending assessment per person aged 65 and over for Stoke-on- Trent adjusted for inflation each year since 1998–99.

Alan Whitehead: The table shows the data requested, together with a year-on-year percentage change after adjusting for changes in the function and funding of services:
	
		
			  Elderly, personal social services SSA per person aged 65 and over(1)  Year-on-year percentage change 
		
		
			 1998–99 671.56 — 
			 1999–2000 777.17 15.7 
			 2000–01 810.46 4.3 
			 2001–02 812.32 2.8 
			 2002–03 813.38 2.6 
		
	
	(1) At 2002–03 prices: £ per person

British Transport Police

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions in how many cases the British Transport police have acted on the basis of out-of-date arrest warrants since 1999; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: The British Transport police have advised that no record is kept of when an arrest is made using an invalid warrant, but since 1999 three civil claims have been made against the force for unlawful arrest regarding the arrest warrant used.

Channel Tunnel Freight Services

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many rail freight services have been cancelled as a result of the SNCF channel tunnel restrictions.

David Jamieson: EWS advise that over 1,700 rail freight services have been cancelled since November.

Flexible Working

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many and what proportion of the staff of his Department are (a) job sharing, (b) term working and (c) engaged in another form of flexible working.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to my answer given on 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 742W. Information specifically on job sharers, term working and other forms of flexible working is not held centrally and can be produced only at disproportionate cost.

Energy Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last 10 years.

Alan Whitehead: The annual energy cost for DTLR's predecessors is as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			  Department(s) Expenditure 
		
		
			 1991–92 DOT and DOE 6,020,891 
			 1992–93 DOT and DOE 5,883,013 
			 1993–94 DOT and DOE 5,074,426 
			 1994–95 DOT and DOE 4,519,596 
			 1995–96 DOT and DOE 4,316,044 
			 1996–97 DOT and DOE 4,095,629 
			 1997–98 DETR 4,099,099 
			 1998–99 DETR 3,993,520 
			 1999–2000 DETR 3,473,024 
			 2000–01 DETR 2,584,778

Concessionary Coach Fares

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what progress he has made in introducing the national minimum half-fare scheme for pensioners with respect to coach travel; and if he will make a statement.

Sally Keeble: We are currently considering next steps in the light of our discussions so far with the industry on the introduction of this scheme.

Gazumping

Wayne David: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to stop the practice of gazumping.

Sally Keeble: We believe the answer to the problems caused by gazumping lie in increasing transparency and speeding up the home buying and selling process. That is what our proposals for sellers' packs will achieve. Sellers' packs will bring about earlier certainty and reduce the period of time during which gazumping can occur. The necessary legislation for this will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

New Deal for Communities (Kings Norton)

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total expenditure to date has been from the budget of the new deal for communities in Kings Norton; and what have been the main achievements.

Sally Keeble: Kings Norton NDC has been awarded £54 million for its 10-year life of which £4,293,399 has been so far spent.
	Main Achievements
	The west midlands police have seconded an officer to the NDC team. Beats have been redrawn to better reflect the needs of the area, and an additional eight officers are employed on the estates at no cost to the NDC.
	Cadbury college has significantly increased the numbers of residents participating in adult education from 30 to over 300 through outreach courses. It has successfully bid for DfES funding for a UK on-line centre, which will come on stream during 2002.
	Primrose hill community project, funded by the NDC, is the main provider of nursery care. It provides 80 day places, 20 after school places and employs five residents as early learning assistants. Fifteen residents have NVQ qualifications in child care.
	The Befriend project, led by the family service unit and funded by NDC, offers support to new tenants moving to the three estates. A domestic violence worker is also funded through NDC.
	A residents' resource room provides a centre for producing a monthly newsletter, organising community events, and giving information on services and volunteering opportunities.
	The NDC has brokered better inter-agency working between local service providers and has a place on Birmingham city council's Best Value Review panel.
	A community development trust was established in 2001 and board members have been appointed.

Unlicensed Vehicles

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the results have been of the pilot schemes for local authorities to assume responsibility for the clamping and removal of untaxed vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: Pilot schemes for local authorities to act as DVLA contractors to clamp and remove unlicensed vehicles have been conducted in Newham and, on a much smaller scale, in Lewisham. Between 9 April 2001 and 28 February 2002 Newham clamped 1,682 vehicles of which 610 were declamped after payment, 160 released from the pound after removal and payment, and 589 were crushed. The number of vehicles reported as abandoned in Newham fell by 10 per cent. between November 2001 and February 2002.
	In Lewisham 51 vehicles were clamped between August 2001 and January 2002, with 21 crushed.
	A number of other authorities are now in discussion with DVLA with a view to acting as contractors to clamp and remove vehicles.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the results were of the consultation on the removal and disposal of vehicles regulations; and if he will make a statement.

David Jamieson: My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement shortly.

End of Life Vehicles Directive

Andrew Love: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what action he is proposing to implement the European end of life vehicles directive; and if he will make a statement.

Brian Wilson: I have been asked to reply.
	The responses to our consultation paper on options for implementing the Directive are being assessed, along with the recommendations of the Trade and Industry Committee, with a view to adopting the approach which best suits the UK's circumstances. Our policy is to achieve the environmental objectives of the Directive using a light regulatory touch and without putting UK business at a competitive disadvantage. We also aim to ensure that there is an adequate network of treatment facilities to deal with all end-of-life vehicles properly.

Electoral Reform

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what other nation states use the supplementary vote electoral system used for electing directly-elected mayors.

Stephen Byers: The information requested is not held by my Department.

Electoral Reform

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what plans the Government have to review the electoral system used for electing directly-elected mayors in England and Wales.

Stephen Byers: We have no plans to review the electoral system used for electing directly-elected mayors in England and Wales.

Fire Service

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions which fire authorities are involved in local strategic partnerships in their area; and what their role is in regard to such local strategic partnerships.

Alan Whitehead: Fire authorities have a valuable role to play as members of local strategic partnerships. As with other public sector organisations fire authorities' participation in LSPs allow the development of an integrated approach to local service delivery in consultation with the local community. We do not have specific information as to the number of fire authorities on LSPs. It is for each LSP to consider its membership in view of local circumstances and priorities.

Fire Service

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many rescues from (a) road traffic accidents, (b) underground, (c) collapsed structures and (d) floods were undertaken by the fire service in the last year for which records are available; and what the cost of each of these operations was.

Alan Whitehead: The information is not held centrally. However, information is available on the number of incidents where persons were extricated from vehicles. For last year this was 9,638. Other rescues involved the release of 8,531 individuals.

Fire Service

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions how many unfilled posts there are within the fire service, broken down into (a) civilian and (b) fire fighting positions.

Alan Whitehead: Based on annual returns submitted to HM Fire Service Inspectorate, the figures for the establishment and strength of the fire service in England and Wales, as at 31 March 2001, were as follows:
	
		
			   Establishment Actual strength 
		
		
			 Whole-time firefighters 33,640 (2)33,376 
			 Retained firefighters 14,940 (3)12,028 
			 Control room staff 1,454 (2)1,474 
			 Non-uniformed staff 6,413 (2)6,074 
		
	
	(2) In full time equivalents.
	(3) In twenty-four hour units of cover.

Shoreham Harbour

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the members of the Maritime Vision for Shoreham steering group and their attendance record at meetings.

Sally Keeble: The members of the Maritime Vision for Shoreham steering group consist of Adur district council, Brighton and Hove city council, the Government Office for the South East, Shoreham Port Authority, the South East England Development Agency, Sussex Enterprise and West Sussex county council. Although the Government Office for the South East is a partner of the steering group, it is not within the remit of the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions to publish details of the members' attendance at the meetings.

Shoreham Harbour

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, pursuant to the answer of 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 373W, on Shoreham Port Authority, for what period he is able to provide information about declined reappointments.

David Jamieson: Information is readily available for the past seven years. In this period we have declined to reappoint just one member of the Shoreham Port Authority board. This was an appointment arising in January 2002 and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 11 February 2002, Official Report, column 24W. There have been no occasions when we have declined to confirm the appointment of nominated candidates.

Shoreham Harbour

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will make a statement on the progress of the Maritime Vision for Shoreham Harbour.

Sally Keeble: The Shoreham Maritime Steering Group was set up in 1997 and the Maritime Vision for Shoreham Harbour was published in December 1999. Since then, the Steering Group have been meeting regularly in order to implement this vision.

Shoreham Harbour

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions if he will list the dates on which vacancies on the board of Shoreham Port Authority were advertised in the local media.

David Jamieson: These vacancies were advertised on the 8, 9, 14 and 15 of November 2001.

Deprivation Indices

Gillian Merron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what steps he has taken to co-ordinate policies in departments to ensure that electoral boundary changes do not debar areas from eligibility for deprivation-related funds.

Sally Keeble: When individual departments contact us for advice on using the Indices of Deprivation 2000 we explain that it is based on 1998 ward boundaries. Our advice is that if departments wish to target resources using the ward based element of the ID 2000 then this should be based on the wards as they were constituted in 1998.

Multi-modal Studies

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what predicted traffic rates over the next (a) five, (b) 10 and (c) 20 years the multi-modal studies are using.

David Jamieson: The multi-modal studies do not use a pre-determined rate of traffic growth. Each study makes its own estimate of how traffic will grow in its study area over the study period. In each case, account is taken of study-specific factors such as changes in the numbers and location of households and workers, the level of current and future congestion, the availability of alternative modes of transport and the implementation of local demand restraint measures.

Reports

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions under what rules his Department must operate when (a) tendering, (b) awarding contracts and (c) commissioning (i) work, (ii) research and (iii) advice to ensure (A) that any (1) advice and (2) reports published remain independent of the Department's own views and (B) that reports published remain unaltered from the original.

Alan Whitehead: holding answer 11 March 2002
	When the Department commissions work for research and advice the standard terms and conditions are used. Included within these is a condition that deals with the ownership of the material produced.
	In answer to part (A), when the DTLR commission work contractors respond to a specification that would be independent of my Department's view.
	In answer to part (B), reports may be published by my
	Department. In other cases where the research contractor undertakes publication, the Department will have prior sight only.

Homelessness

Neil Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will make a statement on how the Government plans to tackle homelessness.

Stephen Byers: I have today placed in the Libraries of both Houses a report to me on homelessness entitled "More than a Roof" together with my response to it.
	The serious and growing problem of homelessness needs to be addressed if this Government is to achieve our aim to ensure that everyone has access to a decent home.
	Although many members of the public think homeless people are only those they see on the streets, homelessness is more complicated. As this new report makes clear, it is more than simply being without a roof.
	There are still some people sleeping on the street but there are even more people living in night shelters and hostels, and there are thousands of families living in temporary accommodation.
	Over 6,000 families are bringing up their children in bed and breakfast hotels. The damage caused to those children may live with them into adult life. But certainly living in a cramped room without anywhere to do their homework or to play does not give them the start in life they deserve.
	To tackle this we need a new approach. One that concentrates as much on the people as on the places that they live. That is what "More than a roof" proposes. We accept it. There are six key objectives that underpin our new approach.
	1. To strengthen help to people who are homeless, or at risk of homelessness.
	2. To develop more strategic approaches to tackling homelessness.
	3. To encourage new responses to tackling homelessness.
	4. To reduce the use of B&B hotels for homeless families with children.
	5. To sustain the two-thirds reduction in rough sleeping.
	6. To ensure the opportunity of a decent home for all.
	While plans and objectives are critical, they can only work if underpinned with resources. Over the next year, we will spend a total of £125 million on tackling homelessness.
	I have established a new Homelessness Directorate that will comprise the Bed and Breakfast Unit, currently in the Government Office for London, the former Rough Sleepers Unit, and a new unit to assist local authorities in tackling homelessness.
	The Homelessness Directorate will join-up policy at a national level. The Rough Sleepers Unit had a cross- cutting brief to work with other Government Departments with champion Ministers and a ministerial committee to support their work. I have asked Lord Falconer to chair a new ministerial committee on homelessness to oversee the new approach.
	The new Homelessness Act will bring about radical change in the way that central and local government, and all other partners, work together to tackle homelessness. For the first time ever, local authorities will be required to carry out a review and develop a strategy for their area that prevents homelessness and provides solutions for people who are, or who may become, homeless.
	In addition to the help provided to local authorities by the new Homelessness Directorate, a range of measures are being established to help local authorities respond to this new duty.
	I have published today "Homelessness Strategies—a good practice handbook", a document which provides a framework for local authorities, and all key local agencies, to work together.
	Also, my Department will contribute to a series of seminars to help organisations prepare for the new Homelessness Act. Organised in partnership with the Chartered Institute of Housing, the Local Government Association, Shelter and others, they will focus on practical implementation.
	We are determined to ensure that vulnerable people leaving institutions, young people including those coming out of care, and people fleeing domestic, racial and other forms of violence, are helped effectively. Although this may mean that the number of people who local authorities accept as homeless increases, I am more concerned to ensure vulnerable people get the help they need.
	Therefore we will be issuing a revised statutory Code of Guidance on Allocations and Homelessness, reflecting changes brought about by the new Homelessness Act and our proposed Priority Needs Order.
	I will allocate additional resources in order to help local authorities deliver the new Priority Needs Order. I am also considering making "tackling homelessness" a future Beacon council theme.
	But we also need to understand more about the most effective ways to tackle homelessness.
	In order to do this, the Homelessness Directorate will investigate the underlying causes and trends of homelessness, collect information more effectively and test new and innovative approaches which can be taken to reduce and prevent homelessness. I have asked for a progress report on this work in the autumn outlining what future action can be taken.
	An important part of the Homelessness Directorate's work will be to encourage best practice. Where public resources fund services, it is vital that the taxpayer gets value for money. The use of local targets and protocols, such as reducing the number of tenancy breakdowns or ensuring appropriate numbers of lettings to homeless households, will be important.
	There are many people living in very different sorts of hostels across the country, and with the onset of "Supporting People", it will be important to ensure that best practice is established across all publicly funded hostels. I am keen, therefore, to ensure that hostels are inspected in a structured way by either the voluntary or statutory sector.
	Although many former rough sleepers have now moved into shelters, hostels, or their own homes, they still need help to rebuild their lives away from the streets. We must also continue to do everything we can to help those people who sleep rough, while at the same time prevent new people from ending up on the streets.
	This is why we will allocate over £30 million during 2002–03—the same level of revenue investment that delivered the two-thirds reduction in rough sleeping.
	No one in this country wants their fellow citizens to have to sleep in a cardboard box at night because they have nowhere else to go. In the same way, we should not tolerate children being forced to stay in over-crowded and expensive B&B hotels for weeks, months, and sometimes years, on end.
	Today, I am making a commitment that by March 2004 local authorities will ensure that no homeless family with children has to live in a B&B hotel except in an emergency.
	There may be exceptional circumstances, where some families have specific needs, or when the local authority is still processing a homelessness application, where B&B hotels of an acceptable standard may be used for a limited period. But I believe this should only happen where no reasonable alternative exists, and should not be for any more than six weeks.
	In order to help local authorities achieve this target, we are making a number of changes.
	Jointly with Alistair Darling, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, I am announcing changes to housing benefit rules to boost incentives for private sector leasing by local authorities and housing associations.
	As these changes will take time to make the impact we want, we are introducing urgent measures to ensure that children are not forced to live in B& B hotels any longer than is absolutely necessary.
	Therefore £35 million will be allocated during 2002–03 on a range of alternatives to using B&B hotels.
	In order to ensure that local authorities do not use B&B hotels inappropriately in the future, we will revise the statutory guidance on homelessness. We will also ensure that, in the exceptional circumstances where it is used, it is of a reasonable standard.
	I am also concerned that children and babies placed in temporary accommodation, including B&B hotels, should not miss out on important health care to give them a proper start in life. My Department is today issuing new advice to housing authorities on the arrangements that I consider should be put in place to ensure that all babies and children placed in temporary accommodation receive their health and developmental checks from health visitors and other primary health care professionals.
	This Government is determined to tackle homelessness more effectively and to work in partnership with organisations and individuals across the country to make a real difference to the lives of homeless people.
	Today we make a significant contribution towards achieving this objective and help build a Britain, which is modern, fair, and strong.

Transport 10-year Plan

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions when he will publish the first annual revision to the Transport 10-year Plan.

Stephen Byers: holding answer 12 March 2002
	There will be periodic reviews of the 10-year Plan for Transport. The first review is expected to be published in July 2002.

Public-private Partnerships (Consultants)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions what the total external spending by his Department was on public-private partnership consultants in each of the last four years; how many full-time equivalent consultants were employed over this period; how many billed consultancy days there were per year; what the implied average cost of each PPP consultant was; how many consultancy firms were used by his Department over this period; and if he will make a statement.

Alan Whitehead: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 448W.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many staff in his Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years.

Angela Eagle: No press office staff have received termination and no redundancy payments have been made in the last four years.

Equal Pay

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent of the gender pay gap among staff in his Department.

Angela Eagle: In response to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force "Just Pay" report, the Government have committed Departments and agencies to review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps. The Cabinet Office issued comprehensive guidance in January 2002 to assist Departments and agencies in carrying out these reviews. All Departments and agencies have until April 2003 to complete an equal pay review and prepare any necessary action plans to close any equal pay gaps.

Probation Service

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were employed by the National Probation Directorate (a) on 1 April 2001 and (b) at the latest available date; what the budget was of the service; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: As of 1 April 2001, there were 109 members of staff employed by the National Probation Directorate. This increased to a total of 205 members of staff at the end of January 2002, when the latest figures were collected.
	This figure has been taken from the Staff-in-Post returns, which are completed on a regular basis and includes all full time permanent staff, temporary staff and secondments from other services.
	At the latest available date, the budgetary cost for these members of staff was £8.264 million. This takes into account the increase of staff from April 2001 until January 2002.

Probation Service

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to establish a pay review body for the National Probation Service.

Beverley Hughes: There are no plans to establish a review body for the National Probation Service. The Service has longstanding joint arrangements at national level for negotiating the pay and conditions of staff employed by the Probation Boards.

Probation Officers

Ian Gibson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to address the shortage of probation officers in (a) Norfolk and (b) England and Wales.

Beverley Hughes: We are actively recruiting Trainee Probation Officers in all parts of England and Wales. This is carried out by annual recruitment drives and as a consequence recruitment of trainee probation officers has trebled in size.
	The next recruitment drive will commence on 18 March 2002 and will be advertised in the National Press. We are expecting to recruit 1,000 trainees across the whole Probation Service.

Young Offenders Institution (Aylesbury)

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the fire prevention and fire safety arrangements at Aylesbury Young Offenders Institution.

Beverley Hughes: Aylesbury Young Offenders Institution is subject to the requirements of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 as amended in 1999. Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997 call for risk assessments to be conducted and these have been completed for all premises in the establishment. In addition the establishment has been inspected by officers from the Crown Premises Inspection Group of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Fire Services.

Electronic Monitoring

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what forecast he has made for the number of offenders who will be electronically monitored in (a) two years time and (b) five years time.

Beverley Hughes: We are considering a range of options for the expansion of electronic monitoring in the criminal justice system. At present we cannot give any estimate of the number of persons who will be electronically monitored in two or five years time.

Electronic Monitoring

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the estimated cost of electronic tagging is in (a) two years time and (b) five years time.

Beverley Hughes: The future cost of electronic monitoring will depend on a number of factors including the initiatives we take forward in this area, the response to them from the courts and prison governors, the outcome of the current public spending round, and the prices contained in bids for future electronic monitoring contracts.

Electronic Monitoring

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the (a) contractors, (b) suppliers, (c) period of contract and (d) value of each contract for electronic monitoring services carried out on behalf of his Department in the last 12 months.

Beverley Hughes: The contractors are Premier Monitoring Services Ltd., Reliance Monitoring Services Ltd., and Securicor Custodial Services Ltd.
	They deliver electronic monitoring services using equipment supplied by Electronic Monitoring Systems Incorporated, Elmotech, Guidance Control Systems Ltd. and Premier Geografix Ltd.
	The contracts began on 28 January 1999 and are for a five-year period, which may be extended by up to a further two years.
	The total value of the contracts in the 12 month period from February 2001 to January 2002 was £36,913,731.78.

Electronic Monitoring

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offenders are being electronically monitored.

Beverley Hughes: The number of persons subject to electronic monitoring on 1 March 2002 was 3,685.

Electronic Monitoring

Paul Stinchcombe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from firms providing electronic monitoring services in respect of the expansion of their operations; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: Although the electronic monitoring contractors frequently discuss the level of business with Home Office officials, there have been no representations from firms specifically aimed at expanding their operations.

Leave Entitlements

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average annual leave entitlement of staff in his Department in each of the last four years.

Angela Eagle: Due to fluctuating numbers in each grade over the last four years it is not possible to provide information on average annual leave entitlements.
	The current leave entitlement for staff in the Home Office and its Agencies is shown in the table:
	
		
			  Leave entitlement 
		
		
			 Non-agency Home Office(4)  
			 Band A Grades up to and including Higher Executive Officer and equivalents: 22 days on entry, 25 days after one year's service and 30 days after 13 years. 
			 Band B Grades above Higher Executive Officer, up to and including Grade six and equivalents: 25 days on entry and 30 days after 10 years' service. 
			 Prison Service  
			 Band A Prison officers. 22 days on entry, 25 days annual leave after one year's service and 30 days after 18 years. 
			 Band B Generalist grades up to and including Executive Officer and equivalents. 25 days on entry and 30 days after 16 years service (from 1 March 2002). 
			 Band C Generalist grades Higher Executive Officer and above and equivalents. 25 days on entry and 30 days after 15 years' service. 
			 Passport and Records Agency  
			 One band All staff receive 25 days on entry and 30 days after 10 years' service. 
			 Forensic Science Service  
			 Band A Grades up to and including Higher Executive Officer and equivalents: 22 days on entry, 25 days after one year's service and 30 days after 10 years. 
			 Band B Grades above Higher Executive Officer, up to and including Grade six and equivalents: 25 days on entry and 30 days after 10 years' service. 
		
	
	(4) i.e. excluding the Prison Service, Passport and Records Agency and forensic science service.
	There have been a number of changes over the last four years to the annual leave entitlements of staff in the above bands. These have all primarily been aimed at reducing the qualifying period for the maximum leave allowance of 30 days.
	Senior civil service
	The annual leave entitlement for staff in the senior civil service is currently set by the Cabinet Office and has been unchanged in the last four years.

Staff Travel

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the (a) percentage and number of rail journeys undertaken on first class tickets, (b) average cost of a first class journey by rail and (c) total cost of rail travel in each of the past four years broken down by grade of civil servant.

Angela Eagle: Section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code, Paragraph 8.2.1 requires Departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities.
	The Home Office is committed to ensuring staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel commensurate with meeting their operational needs.
	In 2001–02 (to the end of January 2002), 15,659 first class rail journeys have been taken, representing 30.9 per cent. of all rail journeys. The average cost of each journey was £133. Total costs for all rail journeys for the year are estimated at £4.8 million.
	Both costs for previous years, and any analysis by grade, are not readily identifiable from the accounting system and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Correspondence

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reply to the letters of 9 May 2001, 26 June 2001 and 28 August 2001 from the hon. Member for Cunninghame, South about Mr. David Stevenson of Irvine, Ref: C/W3/1306/RB/ BHD.

Keith Bradley: My hon. Friend's letter of 9 May 2001, concerning his constituent Mr. David Stevenson, was certainly received in the Home Office, although no record has been found of the follow-up letters dated 26 June 2001 and 28 August 2001. It is unfortunate that the follow-up letters did not come to light as this would have made it clear that my hon. Friend had not received the reply to his original letter.
	In fact a full reply was dispatched on 25 June 2001.
	In light, now, of that letter not being received by my hon. Friend copies have been sent direct to his offices.

Sentencing

Roy Beggs: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to allow the courts to award stiffer sentences for persons convicted of assaulting pensioners.

Keith Bradley: The courts already have robust sentencing powers for offences of assault. The maximum penalty for causing grievous bodily harm or wounding with intent to cause such harm is life imprisonment. The maximum penalty for the offences of causing grievous bodily harm in the absence of intent to do so and the offence of assault occasioning actual bodily harm is five years' imprisonment. Common assault attracts a maximum penalty of six months' imprisonment.
	Specific sentencing provisions for vulnerable groups would not only make criminal law more complex but contradict the important principle that the law is there to protect all members of our society. However, in passing sentence, the courts, as a matter of general principle, regard the fact that an offence has been committed against a vulnerable person as an aggravating factor that would ordinarily be persuasive of a more severe sentence.
	There is no room for complacency. However, the Government are uncompromising in their response to serious and dangerous offenders. We believe that prison sentences must be as long as is necessary to punish and to protect the public. And where release eventually occurs, supervision must ensure that the risks are rigorously managed in the community for as long as necessary.
	That is why we are looking seriously at the Halliday proposal for tougher determinate sentences for sex and violent offenders that will ensure they stay in prison, up to the full term if necessary, so long as they continue to present a risk of harm to our communities and that they are subject to strict and extended supervision on release.
	We are also considering a requirement that where a life sentence is an option judges should not shy away from using it if the professional evidence shows that there is a clear risk that the offender will commit further sex offences. We want greater clarity and transparency, with indeterminate sentences given to serious offenders where appropriate.
	The Government are also taking forward work to create a set of sentencing guidelines which are easily accessible and which command the respect of the judiciary, practitioners and the wider public.

Homicide Index Statistics

Harry Cohen: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the outcome has been of the review of the Homicide Index aimed at increasing the accuracy of data on homicide; what reforms and changes are being implemented as a consequence; and if he will make a statement.

John Denham: "A Review of Information on Homicide: A Discussion Document" was published on 28 December 2001 on the Research, Development and Statistics (RDS) Home Office web site for consultation. The purpose of publishing the proposals at this stage is to open them to a wider process of consultation before the report is finalised and decisions taken as to how best to take forward its recommendations.
	The review is also on the Office for National Statistics (ONS) National Statistics crime and justice theme web page: http://www.nationalstatistics.gov.uk/themes/ yourviews/crime.asp. The closing date for the consultation is 5 April 2002.

Wolvercote Clinic

Chris Grayling: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether a new site has been identified for the Wolvercote Clinic; if the move of the Wolvercote Clinic to Chertsey remains a possibility; and whether there is a final date beyond which the Wolvercote Clinic's tenure of its site at Horton Hospital cannot be extended.

Beverley Hughes: No decision has been made on the relocation of the Wolvercote Clinic as the relocation project team has yet to complete its work and report to Ministers. A number of potential sites have been identified, including the one in Chertsey, and these are in the final stage of evaluation.
	The clinic's tenure of its present site at Horton Hospital, Epsom, is currently the subject of discussions between the Home Office, the Department of Health and the Lucy Faithfull Foundation.

Special Urgency Provisions

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how often the Department has applied the special urgency provisions in paragraph 22 of Circular 18/84 (Development by Government Departments) to a development by the department; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Home Department has applied the special urgency provisions of Circular 18–84 26 times in the period since 1995. The procedure was used mainly in connection with urgent prisons and detention centre projects.

European Immigration Policy

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards participating in the Action Programme for Co-operation in the fields of borders, visas, asylum and immigration.

Angela Eagle: The Spanish Presidency's action plan on illegal immigration was adopted at the Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council on 28 February 2002. The action plan responded to the conclusions of the European Council meeting held in Laeken. It calls for action in the following areas: visa policy, information exchange and analysis, pre-frontier measures, border management, improvement of cooperation and coordination at operational level, the work of Europol, aliens and criminals law and readmission/return.
	The United Kingdom (UK) welcomes the action plan as a basis for the European Union's future policy on illegal immigration. The UK will decide whether to participate in measures arising from this plan.

Volunteers

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of his staff in each of the past two years have been granted a day's paid leave to work as a volunteer; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: A survey of Home Office staff for the year ending 31 April 2001 showed that 78 staff had taken paid leave to volunteer.
	The Home Office is the lead Government Department for the active community initiative. Staff can take paid leave for volunteering in certain public capacities, for example school governors up to six days, magistrates up to 18 days. Staff can also take up to five days paid leave a year for any other voluntary activity.
	A Volunteering Manager has recently been appointed, seconded from the voluntary sector, to actively promote volunteering among Home Office staff, ensure that a wide range of opportunities are available, monitor participation and evaluate the benefits to the individual and the Department.

Fair Trade Products

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether fair trade products are sold in his Department.

Angela Eagle: Fair trade products are not currently sold in the Home Office. However the Department fully supports ethical trading in mainstream business and Fair Trade products will be purchased where they meet the criteria of value for money principles, which includes quality, fitness for purpose and delivery against price.
	The Home Office will be publishing an article on fair trade in the next edition of 'Purchasing Matters', an internal periodical for all procurement staff. In the near future the Home Office will be holding a purchasing symposium on the issue of Fair Trade in April 2002.

Sex Offenders

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans he has to propose a change to the law so that people convicted abroad of crime with a possible sexual element or motivation can be monitored on the Sex Offenders Register on their return to the United Kingdom;
	(2)  what plans he has to enable the (a) police and (b) Probation Service to monitor and control the activities of people who have been convicted abroad of offences including violence to children with possible sexual motivation;
	(3)  what notice can be given to a community when a convicted child murderer returns to the UK to live in that community after serving their sentence abroad;
	(4)  how many people who have been convicted of an offence abroad involving a sexual element have returned to live in the United Kingdom in each of the last three years for which records exist; and what mechanisms are in place to monitor and control their behaviour on their return to the United Kingdom;
	(5)  what powers exist to protect a community when a person who has been convicted abroad of child murder, with the strong possibility of a sexual motive in that crime, returns on release from prison to that community.

Beverley Hughes: The Home Office does not keep records of those convicted of offences abroad, including those involving a sexual element, who have returned to the United Kingdom. We are therefore unable to supply figures for the last three years.
	Mechanisms already exist for the monitoring and controlling of dangerous offenders who come to the UK after having been convicted of an offence abroad.
	The Criminal Justice and Court Services Act 2000 imposed in relation to any area, a statutory duty on the chief officer of police and the local probation board to establish arrangements for assessing and managing the risks posed by persons who may cause serious harm to the public. This would include those convicted abroad.
	If someone falls into this category, for example if a person who has been convicted of a violent offence with a sexual element abroad returns to this country, these multi-agency public protection arrangements will come into play.
	Multi-agency public protection arrangements provide for the risk assessment of all potentially dangerous offenders. Following this a management plan is formulated according to the level and nature of risk that the offender poses. Typically, this would have components of monitoring, interventions designed to reduce re-offending and steps necessary to protect victims or potential victims. After the risk assessment, if it is in the interest of public protection, the police may also disclose information about the offender to relevant members of the community. Social Service departments who are the lead agency for child protection are members of the multi-agency public protection panels.
	The review to the Sex Offenders Act 1997 looked at requiring those convicted of sex offences abroad to register on their arrival in the UK. The Government have asked for consultation and responses are currently being analysed to decide what appropriate action, if any, the Government should take.

Porton Down

Tam Dalyell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the investigation headed by Detective Superintendent Luckett into allegations of past criminal activity at DSTL Porton Down.

John Denham: holding answer 11 March 2002
	A report on the death of Leading Air Craftsman Ronald Maddisson at Porton Down in 1953 was submitted to Her Majesty's Coroner for Swindon and the County of Wiltshire in January 2001.
	In relation to allegations made by several hundred former service personnel who had attended Porton Down and participated in experiments, seven files have been forwarded to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) since September 2001. A final case file is expected to be forwarded within the next few weeks. A number of former Porton Down staff have been interviewed by the police in relation to the cases.
	As part of the ongoing inquiry the police are looking at whether former volunteers have suffered any long term adverse health effects.

Race Equality Draft Code

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the report by the Commission for Racial Equality on the draft Code of Practice on the duty to promote race equality will be placed before Parliament; how many consultees received the document (a) before 1 January 2002, (b) between that date and 25 January and (c) after that date; how many from each category have responded to the consultation; what the total cost was of the consultation pack and the cost per pack distributed; and if he will make a statement on the ability of elected authorities to respond within limited time.

Angela Eagle: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Commission for Racial Equality is currently revising the draft Code of Practice in the light of comments received during the consultation period. A date for laying the Code of Practice before Parliament will be decided once I have approved the final draft.
	The Commission for Racial Equality has advised me that about 45,000 consultation packs were distributed and some 900 responses have been received to date. A breakdown by date of dispatch is not available and the analysis by category of respondent is not yet complete. The cost of printing 55,000 packs and distributing 45,000 was £127,690.
	The consultation period ran from the launch of the draft code of practice and supporting good practice guidance on 3 December 2001 until 28 February 2002. This proved sufficient time for some 900 individual and representative bodies to respond.
	However, I am informed by the Commission for Racial Equality that distribution problems arose with parish councils. Difficulty in gaining access to addresses meant that only 3,000 packs were sent to parish councils in December 2001. A further 5,000 packs were due for dispatch in January 2002, but regrettably, a number were not sent out until late February 2002.
	I am advised that, to date, 26 parish councils, including Totland and St. Helens parish councils from the hon. Member's own constituency, have complained to the Commission for Racial Equality about the late arrival of their packs. The Commission for Racial Equality has given these parish councils an extension until 15 March 2002.

Police (Domestic Violence)

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance is issued to police forces on taking action in respect of personnel who have committed acts of domestic violence;
	(2)  what records police authorities keep in respect of a disciplinary action taken in respect of members of staff who have been perpetrators of domestic violence;
	(3)  if he will publish guidelines he issues to police authorities on dealing with domestic violence within their work force;
	(4)  how many police officers have been subject to disciplinary procedure as a result of perpetration of domestic violence in each of the last three years;
	(5)  if he will list for each police authority in England and Wales the number of (a) incidents of domestic violence perpetrated by staff, (b) the number of repeat incidents and (c) the number of disciplinary actions taken over the past five years.

John Denham: There are no national guidelines to police forces on dealing with domestic violence among their staff or on action to be taken in respect of staff committing acts of domestic violence. Many forces do however have local policies and guidelines detailing how to deal with officers who are alleged to have committed domestic violence offences.
	Police forces and authorities keep disciplinary records for individual officers, but there is no central guidance on what should be recorded, other than information that is returned to the Home Office for monitoring purposes. These centrally held figures do not separately identify numbers of police personnel who were subject to disciplinary action in respect of domestic violence, or the number of incidents concerned.
	Work is however in progress to ensure that police forces respond effectively to any indication that police staff may be perpetrating domestic violence. This includes a redraft of note C of the Code of Conduct of the Police Regulations 1999 which concerns off duty conduct. Regional professional standards practitioners within police forces have suggested that this amended section will strengthen their powers when dealing with personnel who have allegedly perpetrated domestic violence.

Road Traffic Penalties

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to publish proposals for reform of road traffic penalties.

Bob Ainsworth: We are currently in the process of formulating the Government's response to the consultation exercise on road traffic penalties. We hope to publish this soon.
	This report has taken some time to complete due to the high number of detailed and comprehensive responses we received. We have also been waiting for the outcome of the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions commissioned research project into the law on dangerous driving by the Transport Research Laboratory. The publication of this report was delayed until January 2002.

Laeken Summit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a common EU border (a) authority and (b) force, under (i) paragraph 42 of the Laeken conclusions and (ii) JHA proposals.

Angela Eagle: The European Council meeting held at Laeken called for closer cooperation between services responsible for external border control and to examine the conditions in which a mechanism or common services to control external borders could be created. Responding to calls for a common policy on illegal immigration, the Spanish Presidency drafted an action plan on illegal immigration. The action plan was adopted at the February 2002 Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. The United Kingdom welcomes the action plan as a basis for the European Union's future policy in illegal immigration.
	The United Kingdom is supportive of closer cooperation between national border authorities of European Union member states, which we believe is vital in tackling the criminal networks responsible for human trafficking and illegal immigration.
	We are also keen to examine ways in which the external border of the European Union can be strengthened. We are awaiting the European Commission's Communication on European Border management, which may shape future policy in this area.

Laeken Summit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards establishing a common European policy on immigration and asylum, with reference to the conclusions of the Laeken Summit.

Angela Eagle: The conclusions of the European Council meeting held at Laeken identified areas in which further work is needed in order to progress towards a common European policy on asylum and immigration. The commitment made at Tampere to establish a common European asylum system is a top priority for the United Kingdom (UK). The treaty of Amsterdam committed member states to a broad range of measures designed to establish minimum standards for asylum procedures and policies across the Union within five years. The UK is participating actively in this process and has opted into all measures to date. We judge there are significant potential long-term benefits for the UK in terms of levelling the playing field across the Union.
	The European Council meeting held at Laeken also called for closer cooperation between services responsible for external border control and to examine the conditions in which a mechanism or common services to control external borders could be created. Responding to calls for a common policy on illegal immigration, the Spanish Presidency drafted an action plan on illegal immigration. The action plan was adopted at the February 2002 Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) Council. The UK welcomes the action plan as a basis for the European Union's future policy in illegal immigration.

Laeken Summit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy towards the establishment of a European network for the training of magistrates, as set out in Council Document 13416/2/01.

Rosie Winterton: I have been asked to reply. 
	The Council document referred to was a discussion document prepared by the Belgian Presidency in November 2001. It has been superseded by the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council in Laeken held on 14 and 15 December 2001.
	The European Judicial Training Network (EJTN) is a network of the national institutions responsible for judicial training in the Member States of the European Union, set up by the institutions themselves. The Judicial Studies Board (which has responsibility for the training of Judges in England and Wales) has been a member since its establishment in October 2000.
	The Laeken conclusions refer to a proposal made by the French Government in December 2000 to put the Network on a legal footing, enabling it to receive financial and administrative support from the European Commission. No discussions of this proposal are scheduled at present.

Victim Support

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many nominations the agency dealing with victims has received for Charter Mark awards.

Christopher Leslie: I have been asked to reply.
	Charter Mark is primarily a customer focused improvement programme dependent on applications from interested organisations. We have no record of receiving any nominations in respect of the Victim Support Agency. Nominations would be welcomed and actively pursued with nominees to encourage a full application and assessment to be made.

TREASURY

Public Services Productivity

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2002, ref. 38310, on public services productivity, which outside organisations have been consulted on the paper; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: There has not been formal consultation with any outside body; but the Treasury take account of the wide range of views expressed publicly, as well as the advice of the Public Services Productivity Panel.

Public Services Productivity

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2002, Official Report, column 1571W, on public services productivity, how many officials in the Treasury are working (a) full-time and (b) part-time on the paper; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: A number of Treasury officials are contributing to the paper.

Public Service Agreements

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 27 February 2002, Official Report, column 1326W, on public service agreements, what the name of each team mentioned is; how many people are in each team; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: The 13 departmental teams, and the number of people in each team, are as follows.
	
		
			 Team Number of people 
		
		
			 Defence, Diplomacy and Intelligence 13 
			 Health 12 
			 Devolved Countries and Regions 10 
			 Education, Training and Culture 15 
			 Home and Legal 17 
			 Local Government 8 
			 Housing and Urban 11 
			 Transport 7 
			 Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 16 
			 International Poverty Reduction 13 
			 Tax Administration 5 
			 Work and Pensions 12 
			 Enterprise 18 
		
	
	The central team, General Expenditure Policy, employs 25 staff. While there are around 180 staff in these teams, not all the people concerned have responsibility for PSA monitoring.

Departmental Staff

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed by his Department in each of the units listed on pages 10 and 11 of HM Treasury's 2001 departmental report; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Smith: The information is as follows:
	Permanent Secretary (PERM)—98
	Public Services (PSD)—198
	Corporate Services and Development (CSD)—189
	Budget and Public Finance (BPF)—98
	Financial Regulation and Industry (FRI)—119
	Financial Management and Reporting and Audit (FMRA)—54
	Macroeconomic Policy and International Finance (MPIF)—168.

Refrigerators

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when HM Customs and Excise first acted to stop the export of second-hand and reconditioned fridges; on what grounds; and after what consultation with the exporters.

Paul Boateng: EC Regulation 2037/2000 came into force with effect from 1 October 2000. It covers a wide range of controls in the trading of ozone depleting substances (ODSs), including a ban on the exportation of fridges and freezers containing CFCs in the refrigerant gases and foam insulation. However, following representations from the second-hand fridge export industry for further time to adapt to the change, the Government suspended operation of the ban on exports in November 2000. The ban was reintroduced in respect of fridges containing CFCs in the refrigerant gases and the foam insulation from 1 January 2001 and 1 January 2002 respectively.

Illegal Drug Imports

Gillian Merron: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the record of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in preventing illegal drugs entering the United Kingdom in each of the past three years.

Paul Boateng: Customs' performance in preventing illegal drugs entering the UK is monitored against the targets set out in their Public Service Agreement and reported in their departmental annual reports.

Public-Private Partnerships

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how the global sum of capital expenditure on public services, as a proportion of gross national product, is calculated in respect of sums provided under schemes of public-private partnership, in calculations made by the European Commission when issuing warnings and infraction communications to member states, indicating the treaty and legislative basis for distinctions in the source of capital and revenue expenditure.

Andrew Smith: The calculations made by the European Commission are from national accounts produced by national statistical offices according to the rules of the European System of Accounts 1995 (ESA95).
	Annex ll of ESA95 explains how to record capital expenditure when the public sector leases from the private sector. Chapter 2 explains how to determine whether a business is in the public or private sector. The legislative bases for the calculations are Council Regulation (EC) No 2223/96 of 25 June 1996 on the European system of national and regional accounts in the Community; and Council Regulation (EC) No 3605/93 of 22 November 1993 on the application of the Protocol on the excessive deficit procedure annexed to the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Public Appointments

Fiona Mactaggart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appointments to public bodies have been made through his Department (a) from April 2000 to March 2001 and (b) since 31 March 2001; and how many of these were (i) men and (ii) women.

Andrew Smith: holding answer 12 February 2002
	The number of men and women appointed, or re-appointed, by Treasury Ministers to bodies sponsored by the Treasury during the periods in question is as follows:
	
		
			 Period Men appointed(5) Women appointed(5) 
		
		
			 1 April 2000 to 31 March 2001 31 11 
			 1 April 2001 to 28 February 2002 5 3 
		
	
	(5) Includes re-appointments.

Financial Services Authority

Jackie Lawrence: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the chairmanship of the FSA.

Gordon Brown: I am pleased to say that Sir Howard Davies has today agreed to an extension to his appointment as Chairman and Director of the FSA until 31 January 2004. At a time when the FSA has only just taken on its full regulatory powers and is establishing itself as a fully independent single regulator I believe it is invaluable to have Sir Howard remaining in post with his breadth of experience.

Housing Equity Release

David Kidney: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which of his Ministers has the lead responsibility for policy on housing equity release.

Sally Keeble: I have been asked to reply.
	It is primarily the responsibility of the financial lenders to ensure that good quality equity release products are available. As Housing Minister, I am particularly interested in how local authorities will use their proposed new powers, contained in draft legislation currently before Parliament, to provide financial assistance to improve housing conditions. I also take a close interest in monitoring the impact of the developing equity release products on our overall policy to promote sustainable home ownership.

Autism Awareness Year

Tim Loughton: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he is doing to encourage Autism Awareness year.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 1 February 2002
	I welcome the initiatives that aim to improve our knowledge and understanding of autism and raise awareness of the condition. I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Health on 8 January 2002, Official Report, columns 672–73W, and by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Skills on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 239W, which set out the Government's support for this initiative. I have nothing to add to those replies.

Civil Servants

Paul Burstow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new entrants to the Civil Service were employed in his Department in each of the last five years; and how many in each year were aged 50 and over.

Ruth Kelly: holding answer 25 February 2002
	The table provides the information requested.
	
		
			  1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 
		
		
			 Total 3,849 4,388 4,950 6,406 6,510 
			 Of which aged 50 years and over 292 343 406 632 526 
			 Of which below 50 years 3,557 4,045 4,544 5,774 5,984 
		
	
	Note:
	Figures include HM Treasury, Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, Office of Government Commerce, Debt Management Office, Royal Mint, Valuation Office, Government Actuary's Department, Department of National Savings and Investments, National Investments and Loans Office, Office of National Statistics and the Statistics Commission.

Airline Insurance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements are in place to secure third party war risk and terrorism cover for British civil passenger aircraft after 20 March.

Ruth Kelly: My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary announced on 21 January that the Troika replacement insurance scheme for UK aviation would be extended for a final time until 20 March. There is nothing further to add to this announcement. There are now commercial providers of third party war risk and terrorism cover for airlines in the market.

Departmental Policies (Bristol, East)

Jean Corston: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out, with statistical information relating as directly as possible to the Bristol, East constituency, the effects on Bristol of his Department's policies and actions (a) from 5 May 1994 to 2 May 1997, (b) from 2 May 1997 to 7 May 1998, and (c) since 7 May 1998.

Ruth Kelly: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Minister of State, Cabinet Office on 4 March 2002, Official Report column 80W. Bristol, East, along with the rest of the United Kingdom, is benefiting from the long-term action we have taken since 1997 to build economic stability and secure high and stable levels of growth and employment. Claimant count unemployment in the constituency, for example, fell by over 737, or 21 per cent., between May 1997 and May 1998; and has fallen by a further 900, or 32 per cent., since May 1998 1 .
	Macroeconomic stability is being complemented at the microeconomic level by the Government's policies to ease the transition from welfare into work and to make work pay for lower and middle income families, and to reduce child poverty. The Government are also committed to enabling all persons to share in the country's rising prosperity. The numbers of beneficiaries of the new deal, the working families tax credit, child benefit, state retirement pension, winter fuel payments, free TV licences and minimum income guarantee in the Bristol, East constituency are given in the table. These data are also available in the Library of the House of Commons.
	
		
			 Policy 5 May 1994 2 May 1997 7 May 1998 March 2002 
		
		
			 New Deal 18–24 Not applicable Not applicable Not available 1,637 starts and 758 jobs gained (Dec 2001) 
			 Working families tax credit Not applicable Not applicable 1,600 families (May 2000) 2,140 families (Aug 2001) 
			 Child benefit Not available Not available 11,560 families (August 2000) 11,190 families (November 2001) 
			 State retirement pension Not available Not available 15,400 (September 1999) 15,200 (September 2001) 
			 Winter fuel payment Not applicable Not applicable 15,300 pensioners (winter 1999–00) 16,600 pensioners (winter 2000–01) 
			 Free TV licences Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable (7)Around 7,300 pensioners over 75 
			 Minimum income guarantee Not available 2,500 2,600 2,900 (November 2001) 
		
	
	(6) Changes to ward boundaries mean that ONS can supply claimant count date for the Bristol, East constituency on a consistent basis only from January 1996 onwards.
	(7) Over 99 per cent. of pensioners nationally have availed themselves of the free TV licence option.

Job Shares

Vincent Cable: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people are employed in his Department on a job share contract; and what percentage of vacant positions was advertised on this basis in the last 12 months.

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the extent of job sharing in his Department.

Ruth Kelly: The Treasury does not employ any members of staff on job share contracts. There are 16 job sharers, filling eight posts, but these are individually employed on part-time contracts.
	Job sharing is only one of a number of alternative and flexible working patterns that employees are welcome to take up. These include part-time working, compressed hours, job-sharing, home working, term-time or part-year working and flexible working hours.
	Treasury also have an internal electronic notice board where staff can register their interest in job share and part time opportunities.
	Most recruitment to Treasury is generally advertised as available for a range of alternative working patterns. However there are always some occasions where due to the nature of the work, this is not possible.

Capita

Boris Johnson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how many contracts the Department has with Capita; and how much they are worth;
	(2)  if he will list the contracts that have been awarded to the Capita Group by the Department.

Ruth Kelly: The information is as follows:
	Details of HMT Contracts with Capita
	Department: HMT (1)—Value, nil
	Recruitment of Staff—Framework Agreement for HMT and its offices—see background note
	Department: IR (0)—Value, nil
	Department: HMCE (13)—Value £180,000
	Information technology tests
	Business analysts
	Qualified lawyers pre-appointment inquiries
	RAS helpline
	Assistant print buyer
	Contact centre staff
	Internal comms. advisers/writers
	Writers for internal newspaper
	Instant recruitment—administrative officers
	HR managers—appointments
	Accounting adviser
	2002 Inservice fast stream recruitment
	2001 General fast stream recruitment
	Department: OGC (1)—Value £200,000 (including two other firms of consultants)
	Capita Design and Build Services are appointed as consultants under a property advice framework commission. No order has been placed for their services to date.

Accountancy Contracts

Annabelle Ewing: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the (a) number and (b) value of contracts awarded by his Department to (i) Arthur Andersen, (ii) Deloitte Touche, (ii) Ernst and Young, (iv) KPMG and (v) PricewaterhouseCoopers accountants in each year since 1997.

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the contracts agreed by his Department with the five largest accountancy firms since May 1997; and what was the total value of contracts with each.

Ruth Kelly: It has not been possible to establish the number and value of contracts awarded to the above named companies since 1997. This information is not held in the format required and any further examination would be of a disproportionate cost.

Second World War Debts

Bob Spink: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it Government policy to seek a final settlement with the USA to write-off the outstanding British debt which arises from the conduct of World War II.

Ruth Kelly: As I stated in my answer to the hon. Member on 28 February 2002, columns 1937–39W, the Government intend to meet their obligations under the 1945 Agreement with the United States Government by repaying in full the amounts lent in 1945.

Household Expenditure (Alcohol)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the expenditure on alcohol in the family expenditure and resources surveys in each region and nation in the last five years in (a) cash, (b) real and (c) percentage of household expenditure terms.

Ruth Kelly: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the National Statistician. I have asked him to reply.
	Letter from Len Cook to Mr. Jim Cousins, dated 13 March 2002
	As National Statistician I have been asked to reply to your recent question on expenditure on alcohol from The Family Expenditure Survey. (42614)
	The information available on a consistent basis from the Family Expenditure Survey is for financial years 1996–97 onwards, and is given in the attached table. Sample size in individual regions is small and data from three years have been combined to increase the reliability of the estimates. The estimates are still subject to sampling variability, however.
	The Family Expenditure Survey, like other surveys of households and individuals, is known to understate alcohol expenditure.
	For earlier years estimates have been published for the previous Standard Statistical Regions, replaced by Government Office Regions from 1996–97 onwards. They are available at current prices and as percentages of total expenditure in Family Spending 1995–96 and earlier reports, which are available in the House of Commons Library.
	
		Expenditure on alcohol by UK countries and Government office regions: three year averages 1996–97 to 2000–01 (based on weighted data)
		
			  Average weekly household expenditure ($)  
			  Current prices At 2000–01 prices Percentage of total expenditure  
			 Government office region 1996–97 to 1998–99 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1996–97 to 1998–99 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 1996–97 to 1998–99 1997–98 to 1999–2000 1998–99 to 2000–01 
		
		
			 North East 14.20 14.40 16.50 15.40 15.20 16.90 5 5 6 
			 North West 15.80 16.40 15.50 17.10 17.20 15.90 5 5 5 
			 Yorks and the Humber 15.70 15.90 15.60 16.90 16.70 16.00 5 5 4 
			 East Midlands 13.20 14.50 14.40 14.30 15.30 14.70 4 4 4 
			 West Midlands 13.70 14.20 14.70 14.70 14.90 15.00 4 4 4 
			   
			 East 11.90 12.50 13.00 12.80 13.20 13.30 3 4 3 
			 London 14.10 15.30 16.40 15.20 16.10 16.80 4 4 4 
			 South East 13.10 13.80 14.10 14.10 14.50 14.50 3 4 3 
			 South West 12.70 13.30 14.20 13.70 13.90 14.50 4 4 4 
			   
			 England 13.90 14.50 14.90 15.00 15.30 15.20 4 4 4 
			 Wales 13.30 14.20 13.40 14.40 14.90 13.80 4 4 4 
			 Scotland 13.70 14.70 15.10 14.80 15.40 15.50 4 5 5 
			 Northern Ireland 11.20 12.40 13.20 12.10 13.10 13.60 4 4 4 
			   
			 United Kingdom 13.80 14.50 14.80 14.80 15.20 15.10 4 4 4 
		
	
	Source:
	ONS, Family Expenditure Surveys 1996–97 to 2000–01

Energy Costs

John Bercow: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on energy costs incurred by his Department in each of the last 10 years.

Ruth Kelly: The table shows energy costs the Treasury has incurred in each of the last 10 years. The figures exclude VAT.
	
		Energy Costs 1990–2001
		
			 Year £ 
		
		
			 1990–91 487,894 
			 1991–92 448,015 
			 1992–93 411,009 
			 1993–94 364,710 
			 1994–95 420,183 
			 1995–96 328,628 
			 1996–97 330,220 
			 1997–98 305,411 
			 1998–99 316,314 
			 1999–2000 337,396 
			 2000–01 210,696

Chief Economic Adviser

Matthew Taylor: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Chief Economic Adviser is subject to the Code of Conduct for special advisers.

Ruth Kelly: Yes.

Bank Accounts

Jim Cousins: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people hold current bank accounts in each region covered by the regional development agencies in the age ranges (a) 0 to 8, (b) 18 to 24, (c) 25 to 50, (d) 50 to 65, (e) 65 to 85 and (f) 85 years and over at the latest date for which figures are available.

Ruth Kelly: The information is not readily available. The table sets out estimates (from the Family Resources Survey), of the proportion of respondents in each region and age category who had a bank account in the 2000–01 survey.
	
		Percentage of respondents by age with a bank account by region
		
			  Age group  
			 Government office region 18–25 26–50 51–65 66–85 86+ 
		
		
			 North East 76 82 82 72 62 
			 North West and Merseyside 83 86 85 77 59 
			 Yorkshire and the Humber 78 83 82 70 57 
			 East Midlands 83 86 85 79 43 
			 West Midlands 73 83 83 73 63 
			 Eastern 88 93 90 84 80 
			 London 84 85 84 75 57 
			 South East 85 92 92 85 78 
			 South West 86 91 90 85 84

HOUSE OF COMMONS

Equal Opportunities

Patsy Calton: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what procedures are in place to promote race equality and equality of opportunity for employees in the Palace of Westminster.

Archy Kirkwood: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The House of Commons Service values the diversity of its staff and is committed to developing the working practices which will allow every member of staff to contribute his or her best, regardless of race, sex, marital status, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation or any other irrelevant factor. The following arrangements to promote race equality and equality of opportunity for employees are in place:
	Equal opportunities training for all staff;
	Recruitment monitoring;
	Provision of child care vouchers;
	Paid maternity and paternity leave;
	Access to caring leave;
	Job share and part time working arrangements;
	Holiday play scheme;
	Work experience schemes, targeting under-represented groups;
	Provision of prayer room facility during Ramadan;
	Preferential access to leave for religious holidays;
	Bullying and harassment policy and procedure;
	No nationality restrictions for employment;
	All staff are able to apply for any House vacancy following a successful probationary period;
	Adaptations and aids available for staff with disabilities;
	Rehabilitation leave to facilitate return to work following sickness absence;
	Parental leave;
	Career breaks.

Sitting Costs

Paddy Tipping: To ask the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire, representing the House of Commons Commission, what estimate the Commission has made of the average cost of a day's sitting of the House in the last session for which figures are available.

Archy Kirkwood: The overall cost of running the House administration (excluding capital works, etc.) in 2000–01 was some £103 million, giving an average daily cost of the order of £280,000. The difference in cost between a sitting day and a non-sitting day is negligible: the major costs, of accommodation and staffing, are not affected appreciably by sitting times. These figures do not include the cost of paying Members' salaries or allowances, which are not normally regarded as part of the cost of running the House itself.

SOLICITOR-GENERAL

Press Office

John Bercow: To ask the Solicitor-General how many staff in her Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years.

Harriet Harman: In my own Department, the legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, no staff in the press office have received termination or redundancy payments in each of the last four years.
	In the Departments for which the Attorney General is responsible, details are as follows:
	Crown Prosecution Service
	The Crown Prosecution Service has made no termination or redundancy payments to any of its Press Office staff in each of the last four years.
	Treasury Solicitor's Department
	The Treasury Solicitor's Department does not have a dedicated press office. Any press matters are dealt with by the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers' press officer.
	Serious Fraud Office
	The Serious Fraud Office has made no termination or redundancy payments to any of its Press Office staff in each of the last four years.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Empty Properties

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his estimate is of the (a) annual cost and (b) total value of the empty properties owned by (i) his Department, (ii) its agencies and (iii) other public bodies for which he has had responsibility in each of the last four years.

Ian McCartney: The estimate of the annual cost and total value of empty properties owned by the Department and its agencies for the last four years is set out in the table. The figures relate solely to the former ES part of the DWP estate. The value of these properties has been consistently reducing; when last recorded that accounted for only 0.7 per cent. of total property owned.
	
		
			  £thousand Percentage of total cost/value of the estate 
		
		
			 1997–98   
			 Annual costs 6,763 — 
			 Value 2,135 — 
			 1998–99   
			 Annual costs 6,231 3.6 
			 Value 1,681 1.3 
			 1999–2000   
			 Annual costs 5,435 3.3 
			 Value 3,578 2.8 
			 2000–01   
			 Annual costs 5,274 3.0 
			 Value 1.168 0.7 
		
	
	The former DSS estate was transferred (for value) via the PRIME PFI project to Land Securities Trillium on 1 April 1998. Since this date the majority of buildings on the former DSS part of the DWP estate has been occupied as serviced accommodation on an as required basis. We have no vacant space as all such accommodation is surrendered to the service provider and the Department only pays for the space it occupies in these buildings.
	In 1997–98 DSS had vacant estate with an annual cost of £21,755,150 and a value of £2,896,800. On 1 April 1998 Land Securities Trillium paid £2,896,800 for these vacant properties and assumed responsibility for all costs thereafter.

State Pensions

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the additional cost would be of the basic state pension in (a) 2010, (b) 2020, (c) 2030, (d) 2040 and (e) 2050 if, in one year out of every two, the inflation rate were (i) 2 per cent. and (ii) 1.5 per cent.

Ian McCartney: The information is in the table.
	
		Additional cost to basic state pension if in one year out of every two the inflation rate were two per cent. and 1.5 per cent. -- £billion
		
			   2 per cent. inflation 1.5 per cent. inflation 
		
		
			 2010 0.4 0.8 
			 2020 1.5 3.05 
			 2030 3.2 6.55 
			 2040 5 10.5 
			 2050 6.55 13.85 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Figures are gross cost for GB rounded to the nearest £50 million.
	2. Figures in 2001–02 prices.
	3. Figures based on latest Government Actuary's Department statistics which takes account of the change in the state pension age for women.
	4. Additional costs are based on the assumption that basic state pension would increase by 2.5 per cent. in the long run (as stated in the PBR).

Housing Benefit

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on progress of the consultations with local authority associations on the recovery of overpaid housing benefit from landlords further to paragraph 38 of the response by the DSS to the Social Security Committee report on housing benefit Cm4869.

Malcolm Wicks: Following consultation with the local authority associations, we amended housing benefit regulations to change the rule that overpaid benefit was in all cases recoverable from the person to whom it was paid. From 1 October 2001 where the landlord has been responsible for alerting the local authority in writing to the suspected overpayment, there appears to have been a fraud, and there is no evidence of landlord collusion, any resulting overpayment will not be recoverable from the landlord.
	Landlords have an important role in preventing fraud. Those receiving direct payments of benefit already had a statutory responsibility to report changes in their tenant's circumstances, which they could have reasonably been expected to know. This measure encourages landlords to be vigilant and report their suspicions of fraud without fear of financial disincentive.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

John Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  on what dates statutory criteria were first issued to facilitate and determine the level of payment of industrial injuries disablement benefit for those suffering from spinal injury;
	(2)  what recent changes have been made to the statutory criteria first issued to facilitate and determine the level and payment of industrial injuries disablement benefit for those suffering from spinal injury.

Nick Brown: The assessment of disablement for the purposes of Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit was introduced in 1948 by the National Insurance (Industrial Injuries) Act 1946 on recommendations made by the Beveridge report. This principle is a fundamental part of the industrial injuries scheme and has been carried through to the current legislation, which is covered at schedule 6 of the Social Security Contributions and Benefits Act 1992. Further definition of the principles of assessment and prescribed degrees of disablement are in Schedule 2 of the Social Security (General Benefit) Regulations 1982.
	The assessment of disablement is made by comparing the person claiming benefit with a person of the same age and sex whose physical and mental condition is normal. If, as in the case of a spinal injury, the degree of disablement is not prescribed within the regulations, the medical assessor will try to equate the disablement to those covered in the schedule.
	There have been no recent changes to the legislation.

Departmental Secondments (Energy Industry)

Tom Brake: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many staff were seconded between (a) BP, (b) Shell, (c) Enron, (d) Exxon-Mobil, (e) Conoco, (f) Texaco and (g) TotalFinaElf and his Department in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: No staff have been seconded between the Department (or the Employment Service or the former Department of Social Security) and the organisations listed from 1999 to the present date.

Jobcentre Plus

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many attacks on staff have taken place at employment centres in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many incidents of (a) physical and (b) verbal assaults have been recorded in (i) Benefit Agency offices and (ii) Employment Service offices in each year since 1997; how many have been recorded in Jobcentre Plus offices in each month since the inception of Jobcentre Plus; and how many were recorded in the equivalent offices prior to the inception of Jobcentre Plus.

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many physical assaults there have been on Benefits Agency and Employment Service staff in each of the last four years; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Brown: holding answer 5 and 6 February 2002
	The available information on the breakdown of incidents in the last five years is set out in the table. The figures reflect the improvements that have been made in recent years in gathering statistics on incidents. In recent years a possible under-reporting of incidents concerned both management and trade unions. An improved reporting form was introduced in April 1999, followed by a campaign by the Public and Commercial Services Union on reporting during 2000. The rise in reported incidents in the years from 1999 reflects this. As well as verbal abuse or threatening behaviour, non-physical incidents include cases of customers fighting or arguing with each other, in which no member of staff was involved, and occasions when only equipment or furniture was damaged. Employment Service offices are visited by around 25 million people per year and Benefits Agency offices by around 20 million.
	
		
			   Employment Service  Benefits Agency  
			   Physical Non-physical Physical Non-physical 
		
		
			 1997 — — 100 3,426 
			 1998 — — 41 3,092 
			 1999 241 3,835 129 3,561 
			 2000 232 4,237 164 5,148 
			 2001 222 3,637 135 4,910 
		
	
	Since the launch of the Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices last October, only one case of physical contact has been recorded: a customer trod on the foot of a member of staff—possibly accidentally. There have been 148 incidents in which no physical contact was made, 145 of which involved verbal abuse and three attempted assault (attempted assaults includes cases where items are thrown but do not hit anyone, or when a customer reaches towards a member of staff but does not make contact). During this period we estimate that approximately three-quarters of a million people have visited pathfinder offices. The monthly breakdown is in the table:
	
		
			  Month Cases involving physical contact in Pathfinder offices Cases involving no physical contact in Pathfinder offices 
		
		
			 October 2001 1 14 
			 November 2001 0 62 
			 December 2001 0 32 
			 January 2002 0 40 
			  
			 Total 1 148 
		
	
	In 2001, up to the launch of Jobcentre Plus on 22 October, there were 14 instances of physical contact between a Benefits Agency or Employment Service member of staff and a customer in the offices that subsequently became Pathfinders.

Jobcentre Plus

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what further risk assessments have been carried out on the new Jobcentre Plus offices since their establishment; and if they have resulted in the deployment of extra security measures or staff.

Nick Brown: holding answer 5 March 2002
	Review risk assessments have now been completed in all of the Jobcentre Plus pathfinder offices that have opened since 22 October 2001. No additional security staff have been recommended as a result of these assessments.

New Deal for Young People

David Willetts: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have undertaken child care training and work experience through the New Deal for Young People; and how many of them have found permanent employment in this field.

Nick Brown: Between 5 January 1998 and 4 January 2002, 7,016 young people had undertaken child care training and work experience through the full time education and training, voluntary sector and environmental task force options within New Deal for Young People. In the same period, 1,497 young people entered subsidised employment in child care through the employment option. A further 2,859 went directly into jobs in child care from the New Deal.
	Source:
	Employment Service Management Information

Asbestos (Compensation)

George Osborne: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the Government's policy is on providing compensation to those suffering from the effects of exposure to asbestos.

Malcolm Wicks: Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit is available for people who are 1 per cent. disabled through having contracted pneumoconiosis (including asbestosis and silicosis) or diffuse mesothelioma through their work, and to those at least 14 per cent. disabled from primary carcinoma of the lung where there is evidence of asbestosis or diffuse pleural thickening. The current maximum weekly rate is £112.90. In addition, if the person requires someone to look after them, constant attendance allowance, at a maximum of £90.40 a week, and exceptionally severe disablement allowance at £45.20 a week may be payable. Reduced earnings allowance is also available to compensate people, including those whose level of disablement is less than 14 per cent., who suffer a loss of earnings as a result of their disablement.
	To make sure a person does not get compensation twice for the same need, benefits paid from the date of an accident or the date of claim in respect of a disease are recovered from the compensator up to the date of any final compensation payment, subject to a five year maximum. Future benefits are not taken into account. Nor are past payments inflated into present values.
	As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions announced on 13 February 2002, Official Report, column 401W, additional support for people exposed to asbestos and affected by the 11 December 2001 Court of Appeal judgment in the "Fairchild" case is now available from his Department. The compensation scheme administered by DTLR under the Pneumoconiosis etc. (Workers' Compensation) Act 1979 will be extended to make payments to these people provided they meet the conditions of eligibility.

Skill Shortages

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what steps he is taking to facilitate people gaining employment in industries in which skill shortages exist.
	(2)  what role he plays in the assessment of the level of skill shortages in (a) the building industry and (b) the road haulage industry.

Nick Brown: We are working closely with employers to understand their needs, so we can improve the support we give to people without work. We have set up the National Employer Panel, an employer-led body which will recommend to Government ways of ensuring employment programmes are responsive to the changing needs of employers and individuals.
	We have a dynamic labour market—with 6 million people changing jobs every year and a record 28.2 million people in work—and there are many competing opportunities. We recognise that some industries are facing difficulties in attracting new recruits with the required skills. We provide support for specific industries, where this is appropriate. For example, we have introduced Ambition: Construction which is designed to help meet skill shortages and help 1,000 long-term unemployed people into construction jobs. In addition, the Employment Service works closely with the road haulage industry in a number of locations to facilitate skills development in this sector.
	The Department is also working closely with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department for Education and Skills to address the recommendations of the Performance and Innovation Unit's Workforce Development report, which sets out a longer-term vision for addressing skill needs.
	We, and colleagues at the Department for Education and Skills and the Department of Trade and Industry, have asked the Regional Development Agencies to lead the Framework for Regional Employment and Skills Action (FRESA). This strategic partnership of organisations includes the CBI, the TUC, the Learning and Skills Council, the Employment Service and Local Government Associations. The work of the FRESAs will provide a co-ordinated strategy for skills, ensuring a more efficient service for employers and individuals alike.

Child Poverty

Huw Edwards: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement about the Government's strategy to combat child poverty.

Malcolm Wicks: Details of the Government's strategy to combat child poverty can be found in our annual report on poverty and social exclusion, Opportunity for all. The most recent of these is Opportunity for all—making progress (CM 5260), which was published on the 19 September 2001 and is in the Library.

Homelessness

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps he will take to help local authorities cut the use of bed and breakfast hotels for housing homeless people.

Malcolm Wicks: We will provide extra funding through the housing benefit subsidy system, worth around £10 million in 2002–03, to help local authorities house homeless people in self-contained temporary accommodation rather than in bed and breakfast hotels.
	Under current rules for temporary accommodation, the Department for Work and Pensions refunds 95 per cent. (the normal "full" subsidy rate) of any housing benefit that authorities pay on rents up to their subsidy threshold. Rents above the subsidy threshold up to the cap are reimbursed at 12.5 per cent., while there is no subsidy at all for rents above the cap.
	From April 2002, we will raise the 12.5 per cent. reimbursement rate to 95 per cent. for leased and licensed accommodation, while keeping it unchanged for bed and breakfasts.
	Paying full subsidy up to the cap should make private sector leasing an affordable option even in expensive areas, building on the significant increase in thresholds and caps that we introduced last year. It will give councils a major incentive to shift away from using bed and breakfast accommodation, benefiting thousands of homeless families. And we are considering strengthening that incentive further from April 2003, once authorities have had time to respond to the new arrangements: for example, by reducing the 12.5 per cent. subsidy on bed and breakfast rents.
	This reform supports the homelessness strategy announced today by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport, Local Government and the Regions, at columns 1091–94W above.

Benefit Claims (Hackney)

Desmond Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if the London Borough of Hackney has met the terms of the direction he issued on 12 October 2001 in connection with claims for housing benefit and council tax benefit.

Malcolm Wicks: Following an assessment by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate, we are satisfied that the London Borough of Hackney has met the terms of the direction given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 12 October 2001 in respect of housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate's report of its assessment has been placed in the Library.
	The report shows that the authority responded well to the challenge of the direction and that it is also putting in place the necessary processes to improve performance generally. The large backlog of 39,000 outstanding cases on 19 April 2001 was cleared by 31 December 2001 and was done without compromising the standards of other benefits work not associated with the backlog. There were indications that the level of accuracy had in fact risen following the issue of the direction.
	The Benefit Fraud Inspectorate did find some areas where they considered there was a need for improvement, for example in the way sample cases for checking were selected and recorded. The report suggests a number of areas of good practice that the Authority will be able to make use of to address the weaknesses identified.
	There is still much that needs to be done to make the service fully effective, but the authority is to be commended for the significant improvements found by the Benefit Fraud Inspectorate.

Mental Health

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make a statement on the integration of people with mental health problems in society.

Jacqui Smith: I have been asked to reply.
	Standard 1 of the National Service Framework for Mental Health requires local services to develop and implement coherent strategies to combat discrimination against people with mental health problems and to promote their social inclusion. The Department of Health is working closely with the Department for Work and Pensions to find ways of providing active help and encouragement for them to move into work; taking the obstacles to work out of the benefits system; making sure that work pays; and promoting radical change in the workplace to ensure equality and opportunity.

Income-related Benefits (Newcastle)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people living in (a) the City of Newcastle upon Tyne and (b) the constituency of Newcastle upon Tyne, Central were in receipt of income- related benefits in (a) May 1996 and (b) each subsequent year to 2001, broken down by those of (i) pensionable and (ii) working age.

Malcolm Wicks: The available information is in the tables. A large proportion of people in receipt of the income-related benefits referred to in the first table may also be in receipt of housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	
		Recipients of income-related benefits (other than housing benefit and council tax benefit)
		
			  City of Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area Newcastle upon Tyne, Central parliamentary constituency  
			   Pension age Working age Pension age Working age 
		
		
			 May 1996 12,300 31,900 — — 
			 May 1997 12,000 29,900 3,800 8,100 
			 May 1998 11,200 28,200 3,500 7,700 
			 May 1999 11,100 28,200 3,500 7,800 
			 May 2000 11,600 22,700 3,600 6,400 
			 May 2001 12,300 22,600 3,800 6,600 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. Income-related benefits include income support (IS), jobseeker's allowance (income based), family credit (FC) and disability working allowance (DWA). IS, jobseeker's allowance (JSA) and FC figures are based on 5 per cent. samples and are subject to a degree of sampling variation. DWA figures are from 100 per cent. count.
	2. JSA was introduced in October 1996 to replace unemployment benefit and IS for the unemployed.
	3. FC and DWA were replaced by tax credits in October 1999 which are the responsibility of the Inland Revenue.
	4. Pension age is defined as cases where the recipient and/or partner is aged 60 and over for IS and JSA and the recipient is aged 60 and over for DWA and FC. Working age is defined as cases where both the recipient and partner are under age 60 for IS and JSA and the recipient is aged under 60 for DWA and FC.
	5. Parliamentary constituency data are not available prior to 1997.
	Sources:
	1. Income Support Quarterly Statistical Enquiry, May 1996–2001.
	2. Jobseeker's Allowance Quarterly Enquiry, May 1997–2001.
	3. Family Credit Statistics, May 1996–99.
	4. Disability Working Allowance Statistics, May 1996–99.
	
		Housing benefit and council tax benefit recipients—City of Newcastle upon Tyne local authority area
		
			   Housing benefit Council tax benefit 
		
		
			 May 1996 40,630 43,910 
			 May 1997 39,140 42,430 
			 May 1998 37,260 40,420 
			 May 1999 36,300 39,510 
			 May 2000 34,830 37,880 
			 May 2001 32,360 35,380 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The figures refer to recipients, which may be a single person, a couple or a family. They have been rounded to the nearest 10 cases.
	2. Housing benefit figures exclude any extended payment cases.
	3. Nationally approximately 80 per cent. of housing benefit recipients also receive council tax benefit, therefore there will be a significant overlap between recipients of housing benefit and council tax benefit.
	4. Figures for housing benefit and council tax benefit are not available by parliamentary constituency.
	5. A split of cases by client group is not available at local authority level.
	Source:
	Housing benefit and council tax benefit Management Information System, quarterly 100 per cent. case load count, taken in May of each year from 1996 to 2001.

Incapacity Benefit

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how he expects the incapacity benefit case load to change as a result of the fixed-term claim.

Nick Brown: We are transforming the welfare system from a passive organisation paying out benefits to an active system that fights poverty, creates opportunity and helps people become self sufficient and independent.
	For people of working age we are taking a single approach to work and benefits to make work pay, make work possible and to support those who cannot work. This service will be delivered through Jobcentre Plus—a personal service with one goal: helping people of working age to live independent lives.
	People making new or repeat claims to Incapacity Benefit in Jobcentre Plus Pathfinder offices are required to attend a work-focused meeting. These meetings provide disabled people with the opportunity to discuss with their personal adviser the help, benefits and opportunities available to them. We are ensuring that no-one is written off, or allowed to write themselves off. But we will not force people with disabilities into work and people who are eligible for Incapacity Benefit will receive it.

Incapacity Benefit

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will make it his policy for the general practitioner case notes of claimants for incapacity benefit to be used as evidence in support of such claims.

Nick Brown: People who claim a state incapacity benefit will at some point have their entitlement reviewed under the personal capability assessment (PCA). A lack of good quality information about a customer's medical condition can in some cases mean that seriously ill people, who should be completely exempted from the PCA procedures, are not identified as early as they could be. We also believe that better quality medical information would enable more customers to be correctly assessed under the PCA without the need for a medical examination.
	Currently the customer's own doctor, usually their general practitioner (GP) will be asked to provide the Department's medical officer with a short factual report or a special statement containing clinical details. Working in collaboration with the Department's contractor, SchlumbergerSema Medical Services, we are currently piloting an alternative evidence gathering procedure in the Sheffield and Rotherham areas. With the permission of customers and GPs in the pilot areas, we are testing whether using GP medical records will provide the Department's medical officer with better factual information to advise the decision maker. We will be carefully evaluating this pilot to see whether there are benefits in terms of improved customer service and more robust and accurate decision making. The evaluation will be used to inform any future decisions on the use of GP casenotes in relation to benefit assessments.

Incapacity Benefit

Christopher Chope: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many doctors are employed (a) full- time and (b) part-time to conduct medical examinations of claimants for incapacity benefit.

Nick Brown: There is an available pool of 179 full-time doctors and 852 part-time doctors to carry out medical examinations for customers claiming incapacity benefit.

Strikes

Ken Purchase: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to official strikes at Friction Dynamics and elsewhere, if he will make it his policy not to allow the display of job advertisements in job centres where the clear intention of the employer is to recruit labour for the purpose of strike-breaking.

Nick Brown: Jobcentres are instructed to remain neutral in cases where an employer is involved in a trade dispute and so vacancies are still taken and displayed by Jobcentres and on the internet job bank. In such circumstances, jobseekers who wish to apply for the vacancy are told that a dispute is in progress so that they can decide for themselves whether to apply.

Jobseeker's Allowance

James Clappison: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of young people who have moved from the NDYP into sustained employment and who leave such employment without claiming jobseeker's allowance within 12 months.

Nick Brown: The measure of whether a young person's job is sustained is based on their subsequent claims of jobseeker's allowance. No estimate has been made of the number who leave sustained employment and do not return to jobseeker's allowance within 12 months.

Benefits Agency

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what (a) clinical audit, (b) clinical governance and (c) quality control procedures are in force at the Benefits Agency Medical Services.

Nick Brown: Clinical governance within the NHS requires organisations to take a corporate approach to quality and performance. This is the approach which the Government expects Medical Services to take in seeking continuously to improve and develop a customer- focused service able to deliver the specified standards of quality.
	Medical Services carry out regular quality audit, by peer review, of the standard of medical reports provided by doctors engaged to work for them. Each doctor has his or her work audited at least once a year. Medical Services also carry out regular customer satisfaction surveys. The outcomes of audit and customer surveys are reported regularly to the Department and are validated by the Department's doctors on behalf of the Chief Medical Adviser.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what advice has been given to the Benefits Agency Medical Services on the recognition of chronic fatigue syndrome by the Department of Health; what new guidance has been given to the Benefits Agency staff as a result; and if he will publish that advice and guidance.

Nick Brown: This Department fully recognises chronic fatigue syndrome as a potentially very disabling condition. Guidance to Medical Services doctors, who carry out assessments on behalf of the Department, and to decision makers who determine entitlement to benefits, exists in the Disability Handbook. The second edition, published in 1998, contains a section on chronic fatigue syndrome, which was written in discussion with experts in this area, including the ME Association. Guidance also exists in the report of the chief medical adviser's expert group on chronic fatigue, published in 1998.
	The guidance in both these documents is in line with the report recently published by the Department of Health. Therefore no new guidance has been issued. Copies of both documents are available in the Library. The Disability Handbook can be purchased through the Stationery Office, and can also be accessed on the Department's web site.

Industrial Injuries

Shaun Woodward: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will amend Regulation 30 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 to extend the specified 12 month time period on compassionate grounds for making a posthumous industrial injuries disablement benefit claim.

Nick Brown: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The rules for claiming industrial injuries disablement benefit (IIDB) are designed to be more flexible than those for other benefits that can be claimed by a person appointed to act on a deceased person's behalf by the Secretary of State.
	In general most claims can be made only within 12 months of the date of death. IIDB, however, can be claimed within 12 months of the date on which the death certificate is issued. This reflects the fact that in many cases the cause of death recorded on the death certificate provides the basis for the IIDB claim.
	We keep all our policies under review but have no plans to amend these rules.

Minimum Income Guarantee

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many pensioners aged under 65 are in receipt of minimum income guarantee.

Malcolm Wicks: As at November 2001 there were 322,900 minimum income guarantee claimants under the age of 65 in Great Britain.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Tibet

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to the answer from the hon. Member for Leeds, Central of 30 January 2002, Official Report, column 271, if her Department will continue to provide funding for Save the Children Fund's "Tibet Basic Education Project".

Clare Short: SCF is undertaking valuable work in Tibet with DFID support. I would like to see this continue and my officials are currently considering SCF's proposals for a further phase of their basic education project for poor indigenous Tibetans.

Parental Leave Directive

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate she has made of the (a) financial costs and (b) benefits to her Department of the Parental Leave Directive.

Clare Short: Two members of DFID staff have taken up the opportunity under the provisions of the Parental Leave Directive. No estimate has been made of the financial costs to the Department.

Debt Relief

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many African countries are in receipt of debt relief; and which have applied but have yet to receive help.

Clare Short: 21 of the 34 African countries listed under the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiatives have, so far, qualified for debt relief. Of the 21 countries, 18 have reached their Decision Point and are receiving interim debt relief and three have completed the HIPC process and are receiving full debt relief. We hope that a further four will reach their Completion Point in the next six months. Of the remaining 13 countries, Sierra Leone is expected to qualify this month. However, further progress on the remaining 10 eligible countries (Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Comoros, Republic of Congo, Cote d'Ivoire, Liberia, Somalia, Sudan and Togo) will be difficult, as they either are affected by conflict or have governance problems. Angola and Kenya are not eligible for HIPC debt relief, as they are regarded as potentially sustainable—both countries are eligible for Paris Club treatment on Naples terms, which would be sufficient to reduce their debts to a sustainable level, but have not applied for this.
	As for non-HIPC sub-Saharan African countries, Nigeria is not eligible for debt reduction but has received relief through the Paris Club in the form of a rescheduling.

EBRD Projects

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, pursuant to her answer of 6 March 2002, Official Report, column 341W, on EBRD projects, if she will list the names of the projects that officials from her Department told UK representatives at the EBRD to support and the value of each of these projects in each of the last five years.

Clare Short: The information required is not kept centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what progress is being made in clearing (a) land mines and (b) unexploded bomblets from cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: Afghanistan has long been one of the countries most severely affected by land mines and Unexploded Ordnance (UXO). In the year 2000 an average of about 88 mine and UXO casualties were recorded each month. During 2000 a total of approximately 13,500 antipersonnel mines, 600 anti-tank mines and 300,000 items of UXO were destroyed.
	The onset of hostilities after 11 September meant that mine clearance operations were badly disrupted by the departure of international staff and the threat to the safety of mine action personnel, forcing it to significantly curtail its operations. The Mine Action Programme for Afghanistan (MAPA) is now completing a period of retraining and is resuming operations wherever possible. In many areas mine and unexploded ordnance (UXO) clearance operations have returned close to the level that existed before 11 September. In addition, the process of expanding capacity to address the UXO threat has begun. The priorities for UNMAS in 2002 are the execution of emergency operations throughout the country and a subsequent return to 100 per cent. operational capacity, and to expand mine clearance capacity as resources become available.

Afghanistan

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment has been made of the amount of unexploded bomblets emanating from cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

Clare Short: The United Nations Mine Action Service (UNMAS) has been notified by coalition forces of 188 sites where cluster bombs were used. UNMAS has estimated the number of bombs used and made an estimate of how many bomblets may be unexploded, but exact numbers are impossible to verify.

Afghanistan

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development whether inclement weather has prevented aid deliveries to the Badghis province of Afghanistan; and what actions are being taken to improve aid deliveries.

Clare Short: Emergency food provision in Afghanistan is primarily channelled through the UN World Food Programme (WFP). Needs have been met in most areas, but there remain pockets of unmet need in places difficult to access due to poor weather and insecurity. Badghis province is one of the most remote and seriously drought-affected areas in Afghanistan. Parts of Badghis are extremely difficult to access in the winter months.
	Since September 2001, WFP has dispatched and distributed more than 56,000 metric tonnes of food in the western provinces of Afghanistan, including Badghis, to assist an average of 1.3 million people per month. Remote areas in the west of Afghanistan have received enough food to last up to the end of March.
	In addition, WFP is deploying six helicopter-borne rapid assessment teams for assessment and delivery of emergency aid to remote areas, including parts of Badghis province. The teams are tasked with streamlining food aid operations, assessing health conditions, investigating non-food emergency needs, monitoring food distribution and verifying reports by non-governmental organisations (NGOs) on earlier food deliveries. If necessary, the helicopters will also allow WFP to airlift a limited amount of food aid on an emergency basis.

Overseas Visits

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development if she will list each of the overseas trips made by herself and other members of her ministerial team in each of the last four years, specifying the purpose and cost of each trip.

Clare Short: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Deputy Prime Minister on 5 February 2002, Official Report, column 707W.

Press Officers

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how many staff in her Department's press office have received (a) termination and (b) redundancy payments in each of the last four years.

Clare Short: No such payments have been made to press office staff in the last four years.

EDUCATION AND SKILLS

Student Finance

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what estimate she has made of the percentage of graduates who will receive lifetime earnings of (a) less then 75 per cent., (b) 75 to 90 per cent., (c) 90 to 110 per cent., (d) 110 to 125 per cent., (e) 125 to 175 per cent. and (f) more than 175 per cent. of the average of those not participating in higher education.

Margaret Hodge: holding answer 1 February 2002
	We estimate lifetime earnings profiles for individuals "who have participated in an undergraduate higher education course" (whether they graduated or not) using statistical simulation models and current employment and earnings data. The table shows the estimated distribution of undergraduate participant lifetime earnings, relative to the average of those "who do not hold a higher education qualification". Lifetime earnings are based on earnings between the ages of 18 and 59 years.
	Data limitations mean that the figures in the table provide only a broad estimate of the distribution of lifetime earnings, and weight cannot be placed on the precise percentages in each band. The two comparison groups are not mutually exclusive, and both potentially include individuals who may have participated in higher education but did not subsequently obtain a qualification.
	
		Estimated percentage of UG HE participant lifetime earnings above and below the average for those who do not hold an HE qualification
		
			 Distribution Percentage 
		
		
			 Less than 75 per cent. of the non-HE average 6 
			 75 per cent. to less than 90 per cent. 5 
			 90 per cent. to less than 110 per cent. 9 
			 110 per cent. to less than 125 per cent. 7 
			 125 per cent. to less than 175 per cent. 20 
			 175 per cent. or more than the non-HE average 53 
			  
			 Total 100 
		
	
	Notes:
	1. The Department has previously used two statements to support HE, and in particular its AimHigher campaign: that on average, graduates earn around 35 per cent. more than the national average; and, on average, earn around £400,000 more over their working lives than the national average.
	2. The figures presented in the table do not invalidate these statements. They are based on different comparison groups and cannot be compared.
	Sources:
	Labour Force Survey, British Household Panel Survey, Student Income and Expenditure Survey 1998, Student Loan Company.

Student Finance

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what has been the student loan (a) repayment threshold and (b) interest rate in each year since 1996; and what each will be in academic year 2002–03.

Margaret Hodge: The information requested is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Academic years Interest rate(8) (Percentage) Mortgage style(9) loans deferment threshold (£) Income contingent loans repayment threshold (£) 
		
		
			 1996–97 2.7 15,792 n/a 
			 1997–98 2.6 16,488 n/a 
			 1998–99 3.5 17,784 n/a 
			 1999–2000 2.1 18,192 n/a 
			 2000–01 2.6 19,104 10,000 
			 2001–02 2.3 19,728 10,000 
			 2001–03 (10)— (10)— 10,000 
		
	
	(8) Interest is linked to inflation, so that the amount repaid will be worth, in real terms, what was borrowed.
	(9) Mortgage style loans are not income contingent. They are paid back in a fixed number of monthly instalments. Most borrowers pay back 60 instalments over five years. If five or more loans are taken out they pay 84 instalments over seven years.
	(10) To be set.
	The interest rate and deferment threshold for mortgage style loans for the academic year 2002–03 are calculated at a later stage. The interest rate will be the retail prices index increase for the year to March 2002. The deferment threshold will be 85 per cent. of national average earnings for April 2002.

Children's Rights

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what the role of the Minister for Children will be in relation to (a) reporting to the UN Special Session on Children in May and (b) reporting to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in September;
	(2)  what the role of the Minister for Children and Young People will be in relation to reporting to the (a) UN Special Session on Children in May and (b) Committee on the Rights of the Child in September;
	(3)  which Ministers and officials will compose the delegation representing the UK's second report on the implementation of the UN Convention on Children's Rights at its examination by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in September;

John Denham: [holding answers 12 February and 4 March 2000): The UN Special Session on Children in May will be an important opportunity for Governments across the world to re-affirm their commitment to improving the life chances of children and to review progress towards meeting that commitment. I plan to attend, subject to any parliamentary or other Government commitments.
	Arrangements have not yet been finalised for the UN Committee's examination in September.

Nursery Places

Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many and what percentage of three-year-olds have been in nursery places in maintained schools in each year since 1997.

Margaret Hodge: The available information on three-year-old provision in maintained nursery and primary schools is shown in the table.
	
		Number(11),(12) and percentage of three year olds in maintained nursery and primary schools, England, 1997 to 2001, position in January each year
		
			 Year Number Percentage(13) 
		
		
			 1997 214,200 34 
			 1998 222,000 35 
			 1999 225,700 37 
			 2000 229,900 38 
			 2001 226,600 37 
		
	
	(11) Headcount of children aged three at 31 December in the previous calendar year, rounded to the nearest 100.
	(12) May include some two-year-olds.
	(13) Number of three-year-olds expressed as a percentage of the three-year-old population.
	The number of three-year-olds taking up places at private and voluntary providers increased from 268,800 or 44 per cent. of the population of three-year-olds in January 2000, to 285,100 or 47 per cent. in January 2001, an increase of 16,000.
	The figures for three-years-olds in schools and private and voluntary providers were published in Statistical Bulletin 11–01 "Provision for children under five years of age in England—January 2001" which is available at www.dfes.gov.uk/statistics/ and from the Library.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many people were employed in a press or public relations function in her Department on 1 January in (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002.

Ivan Lewis: The following table shows the average staff numbers within DfEE/DfES press office and publicity division over the period in question:
	
		FTE 
		
			 Year Press office total Publicity division total 
		
		
			 1996–97 19 50 
			 1997–98 20.5 68 
			 1998–99 29.5 51 
			 1999–2000 27.5 44 
			 2000–01 28 42 
			 2001–02(14) 23 39 
		
	
	(14) The staffing figure for 2001–02 excludes five members of staff transferred to the Department for Work and Pensions from both the press office and publicity division, as part of the Machinery of Government changes following the general election.

Decade for Human Rights Education

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills when she last reported to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights on UK activities in the framework of the Decade for Human Rights Education.

Margaret Hodge: My officials contributed to a report compiled by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in July 2000. This specifically mentions the contribution citizenship education will make from September 2002 and, in particular, that pupils will be taught about human rights as part of the national curriculum.

Higher Education

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what assessment she has made of the impact that meeting matchfunding requirements for joint infrastructure fund and science research investment fund schemes has had on the financial health of relevant higher education institutions.

Margaret Hodge: The Joint Infrastructure Fund (JIF), which provided a total of £750 million for research infrastructure in science and technology, had no general requirement for matched funding. The Science Research Investment Fund (SRIF) is worth a total of £1 billion over 2002–03 and 2003–04, of which £600 million was allocated to higher education institutions in England by the Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE). SRIF has a requirement that 25 per cent. of the overall cost of a project is met by external contributions, except where there are partnerships between higher education institutions. HEFCE monitors the financial health of higher education institutions and has no concerns about the financial health of any institution in relation to JIF and SRIF requirements.
	The issue of science research infrastructure funding for the HE sector is being considered by the Cross Cutting Review of Science and Research.

Learning and Skills Council

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what analysis has been carried out by the Learning and Skills Council on the skills base in coalfield areas compared to the national average.

Margaret Hodge: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council. I have therefore asked John Harwood, the council's chief executive, to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested and to place a copy of his reply in the Library.

Learning and Skills Council

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many learning and skills council headquarters are situated in coalfield constituencies.

Margaret Hodge: The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) national office is based in Coventry and operates through 47 local arms. There are local LSC offices close to coalfield constituencies at: Stoke-on-Trent, Derby, Nottingham, Sheffield, Middlesbrough, Newton Aycliffe, Gateshead and Cramlington. The most important aspect is that the LSC's programmes are accessible throughout their local areas. The actual location of the office has no bearing on the quality, delivery and availability of the services on offer.

Administrators

Adrian Flook: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how many full-time equivalent administrators there are in each local education authority in the south- west of England.

Stephen Timms: My Department does not collect this information.

Connexions Service

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills whether the Connexions Service retains information relating to young people's sexual orientation.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Information relating to a young person's sexual orientation would not normally be retained. The young person might raise the subject and, in this case, the information would be recorded and retained only if the young person and the personal adviser agreed that this would be appropriate.

Veterinary Science (Wales)

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills 
	(1)  what discussions she has had with the National Assembly for Wales concerning the establishment of a veterinary science department at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what representations she has received on the absence of a veterinary department in universities in Wales; and if she will make a statement.

Margaret Hodge: The Secretary of State has received no representations on the absence of a veterinary department in universities in Wales and has had no discussion with the National Assembly for Wales about the establishment of a veterinary science department at the University of Wales, Aberystwyth. The creation of a veterinary department in Wales is a matter for the Welsh Assembly.

Debt Repayment

Mark Hendrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills how development costs relating to the Government's proposed scheme to repay the outstanding loans of certain newly qualified teachers will be funded.

Stephen Timms: Parliamentary approval for additional resources for this new service will be sought in a Supplementary Estimate for the Department for Education and Skills. Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £518,000 will be met by repayable cash advances from the Contingencies Fund.

Child Protection Services

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills what cross-departmental initiatives are being proposed to ensure co-ordination of children's services with special reference to child protection services; and if she will make a statement.

John Denham: In their consultation document "Building a Strategy for Children and Young People", the Government are seeking views on the establishment of Children and Young People's Strategic Partnerships as a vehicle for coordinating planning activity for children's services. These partnerships would bring together the full breadth of partners and services across the voluntary, community, statutory and business sectors, which impact on the lives of children and young people.
	Later this year, the findings from a multi-inspectorate inspection of children's safeguards will be published. The inspection is looking specifically at safeguards for children in eight local authority areas, including the effectiveness of Area Child Protection Committees. The findings from both of these exercises will be of assistance in determining the most effective ways of coordinating services, including services for child protection. Any consideration of the effectiveness of child protection services will need to take into account the findings of the inquiry into the death of Victoria Climbie, which is due to report later this year.

Bristol Education Authority (Grants)

Valerie Davey: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills if she will list the category and amounts of each grant which her Department has provided to Bristol education authority in the last two years.

Stephen Timms: The following table shows the Department's allocated grants to Bristol local education authority in 2000–01 and 2001–02.
	
		£ 
		
			   2000–01 2001–02 
		
		
			 Standards Fund (recurrent) 8,731,729 11,278,051 
			 School Standards Grant 2,060,000 4,320,000 
			 Teachers Pay Reform Grants 1,799,088 2,751,598 
			 Nursery Education Grant (3-year-olds) 1,077,307 1,312,978 
			 Nursery Education Grant (4-year-olds)(15) 588,271 n/a 
			 Special Education Needs Co-ordinators (Early Years) n/a 21,800 
			 Early Years Training 33,900 149,486 
			 Childcare Grant 217,370 1,107,705 
			 Neighbourhood Nursery Initiative(16) n/a 1,907,700 
			 School Budget Support Grant 380,388 n/a 
			 Education Budget Support Grant n/a 698,369 
			 Education Action Zone Grant(17) 628,000 847,990 
			 Capital Grants 9,680,000 9,536,000 
		
	
	(15) Grant was transferred to the SSA in 2001–02.
	(16) Funding for the period 2001 to 2004.
	(17) Funding made directly to the Education Action Zone in Bristol.
	Notes:
	Amounts are in cash terms.
	2001–02 figures may be subject to change.

Bristol Education Authority (Grants)

Gerry Steinberg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Skills, how many teachers have applied for early retirement on ill health grounds in each year since 1996; how many (a) have been granted retirement on ill health, (b) have been refused and (c) are awaiting a decision on their application; how long the average turn around is from the Teachers Pension Agency receiving the application to notification of the decision; and how many applicants have died whilst waiting for a decision on their application.

Stephen Timms: The information requested is not readily available. I will write to my hon. Friend shortly and place a copy of my reply in the Library.

HEALTH

Children's Rights

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what revision he plans to undertake of the second report under the UN convention on children's rights published in 1999 before its examination by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in September.

John Denham: holding answer 12 February 2002
	I have been asked to reply.
	The UK is obliged under the convention to submit a report every five years on progress in implementing it. The last report was issued in 1999 and will be considered by the UN later this year. Given the time that has elapsed since the last report was submitted and the important changes that have taken place since then, we intend to publish later this spring a brief update on UK progress since 1999.

Children's Rights

Hilton Dawson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which Ministers and officials will comprise the delegation representing the UK's Second report on the Implementation of the UN Convention on Children's Rights at its examination by the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child in September.

John Denham: holding answers 12 February and 4 March 2002
	I have been asked to reply.
	The UN Special Session on Children in May will be an important opportunity for Government's across the world to re-affirm their commitment to improving the life chances of children and to review progress towards meeting that commitment. I plan to attend, subject to any parliamentary or other Government commitments.
	Arrangements have not yet been finalised for the UN Committee's examination in September.

Beta Interferon

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the cost of beta interferon in other countries.

Hazel Blears: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	The Department has made no detailed assessment of the costs of beta-interferon treatment in other countries. Direct comparisons of prices of products of this type can be misleading because they are often supplied direct to hospitals at a discount, making published list prices less significant. Furthermore some countries include distribution costs and some aspects of care within the list price while others account for them separately.

MMR Vaccine

Julie Kirkbride: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the advice issued in 1988 on the administration of the MMR vaccine to children included a choice of single vaccines.

Yvette Cooper: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer her to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	The combined MMR vaccine was introduced as a replacement to the single measles vaccine and parents were advised to get their children immunised with the combined MMR vaccination. Single measles vaccine remained available for a short transitional period until the manufacturers of the vaccine advised the Department of Health that they no longer intended to supply single measles vaccine to the UK. Rubella vaccine remained part of the school girls immunisation programme until 1994 when it was discontinued. However, rubella vaccine remains available for rubella susceptible women and health care workers. Single mumps vaccine has never been routinely available.
	I have placed in the Library copies of the 1988 leaflet which gave advice to parents as well as the media pack and the letter to the NHS from the Chief Medical Officer and Chief Nursing Officer that gave details of the introduction of the combined MMR vaccine.

Beechwood Lodge, Basingstoke

Andrew Hunter: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instigate an inquiry into the circumstances of the deaths of Alexander Deas, Joseph Gildea, Tony Spong and Peter Swain, former residents of Beechwood Lodge, Basingstoke, and assess the performance of Hampshire Social Services and other agencies in providing care and support for former residents of Beechwood Lodge.

Jacqui Smith: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	We are not planning to instigate an inquiry. However, there is an internal inquiry being undertaken by Basingstoke and Deane borough council and Stonham Housing Association about the closure of this resource and the arrangements made to meet the needs of the residents.

Pesticide Residues

Joan Ruddock: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to set up a monitoring programme for pesticide residues in fruit supplied to the national school fruit scheme; and if he will publish the results of such monitoring.

Yvette Cooper: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer her to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	The Department of Health has established a programme of testing for pesticide residues on fruit supplied as part of the National School Fruit Scheme and will make the results available in due course.

Measles

Andrew Dismore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the outbreak of measles centred on a school in Edgware.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 13 February 2002
	I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	There have been six confirmed cases of measles in two families.
	The local health authority has written to all parents to encourage MMR vaccination and has also contacted all the GPs of children at the school to promote immunisation. GPs have also been asked to ensure that they notify any suspected case to consultants in communicable disease control so that salivary testing can be arranged.

Autism

Eleanor Laing: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what proportion of children who have been diagnosed with autism and born since 1990 are male;
	(2)  at what age autism is most commonly diagnosed.

Jacqui Smith: In December 2001 the Medical Research Council (MRC) published a comprehensive review of autism research, which provides an authoritative overview of the current state of knowledge on the epidemiology and causes of autism. The report, which was commissioned by the Department and included a wide range of experts and a "lay" group including autism charities and parents, is available on the MRC website at www.mrc.ac.uk. It provides a broad account of the best available information about autism spectrum disorders, including issues concerning diagnosis.
	On age at diagnosis, the report says:
	"There are a number of studies reporting that the majority of parents are aware that something is not quite right in the months leading up to the second birthday. In a study of individuals aged two to over 40 years, the average age at diagnosis was five years for autism and 11 years for Asperger disorder. Age at diagnosis is likely, however, to vary greatly by region (according to services available), by year (with age at diagnosis falling in many places) and by the nature of the autistic spectrum disorder (with high-functioning, and perhaps severely intellectually impaired, people being diagnosed later)."
	Information about the proportion of children born with autism since 1990 who are male is not available.

Haemophilia

Phil Sawford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many haemophiliacs have not received compensation for blood borne diseases which they may have contracted as a result of blood transfusions; and in what circumstances claims are rejected;
	(2)  how many haemophiliacs have received compensation for blood borne diseases contracted as a result of blood transfusions; and what criteria are used to determine (a) entitlement and (b) the level of compensation.

Yvette Cooper: In 1988, a special payments scheme was established through the MacFarlane Trust for haemophilia patients infected with HIV before the technology existed to eliminate the virus from blood products. To date, 1,240 haemophilia patients have received payments through the trust.
	Under the special payments scheme, each registrant received £20,000 in 1990 and a further sum in 1991, depending on their status:
	Single adult—£43,500
	Married adult without dependent children—£52,000
	Adult with dependent children—£80,500
	Children under 18—£41,000.
	In addition, each registrant has received since 1 October 1990 regular payments, which range between £255 and £650 depending on whether partners are also infected and on the number of dependent children.
	A copy of the MacFarlane Trust handbook, with the full details of the scheme, has been placed in the Library.

Refurbishment

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 February 2002, Official Report, column 630W, what the cost of refurbishing each ministerial private office was in each year since May 1997.

Hazel Blears: No ministerial offices have been refurbished since May 1997. The only works undertaken in addition to the Department's general maintenance, repair and renewal programme in the four-year period ending 31 March 2001 were in 1997–98 and totalled £19,000.

Free Nursing Care

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the average number of reassessments each person who is in receipt of free nursing care will need before they die;
	(2)  what estimates have been made of the number of self-funders who will be eligible for free nursing care in (a) 2002–03, (b) 2003–04 and (c) 2004–05;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the benefit reductions to self-funders who are eligible for the top banding of free nursing care.

Jacqui Smith: People in nursing homes receiving national health service funding towards their care by a registered nurse will not have any benefits that they were receiving reduced as a result, regardless of the band of care to which they are assigned.
	The numbers would be expected to rise from around 42,000 in 2001 by some 500 to 600 per year over the next few years. However, this estimate does not take account of other factors, such as the preferences of older people and rising home ownership among older people, which may affect this.

Special Urgency Provisions

Peter Luff: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often the Department has applied the special urgency provisions in paragraph 22 of Circular 18/84 (Development by Government Departments) to a development by the department; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Department has no records of having made use of these provisions.
	These provisions do not apply to national health service bodies.

Foreign Nationals

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what plans he has to restrict free NHS treatment to foreign nationals visiting the UK;
	(2)  what (a) regulations and (b) checks exist to prevent health tourists coming to the UK to take advantage of free NHS treatment; and what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the (i) regulations and (ii) checks.

John Hutton: Conditions of entry to the United Kingdom are a matter for the Home Office. Once a person has arrived in the United Kingdom their basis of entitlement to national health service treatment will be determined by the general practitioner or hospital providing treatment.
	Treatment in NHS hospitals is subject to the provisions of the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Regulations 1989, as amended [in 1991 (SI No: 438), 1994 (SI No:1535), 2000 (SI No: 602), 2000 (SI No: 909)]. These regulations place a duty on hospitals and other NHS bodies to establish the residence qualification of all patients.
	The Department of Health has been reviewing the way in which these regulations are applied by NHS trusts and revised guidance is also being drafted. In addition posters and leaflets, drawing attention to the charging regulations, have been issued to all hospitals and GP surgeries and are being sent to British embassies abroad.

Volunteers

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many members of his staff in each of the past two years have been granted a day's paid leave to work as a volunteer; and if he will make a statement.

Hazel Blears: The Department has a special leave policy that allows for paid leave for voluntary work.
	As arrangements for paid leave are made locally between staff and their managers we do not centrally record information on the numbers of staff that undertake paid leave to work as a volunteer.
	Staff are encouraged to consider training and learning opportunities, including voluntary work, as part of their career development in the Department.

Fair Trade

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether fair trade products are sold in his Department.

Hazel Blears: The Department's catering contractor has a company policy to buy fair trade goods from its suppliers and has a commitment to support fair trade.

Communications

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what level of expenditure will be required to implement the report on communications as part of the shifting the balance of power within the NHS.

Hazel Blears: Communication was one of 12 specific topics covered by "Shifting the Balance of Power: the Next Steps", published in January, including others such as public health, professional leadership and research and development. All of these issues are being followed up in different ways.
	The communications guidance sets out a list of responsibilities including greater patient and public involvement and improved communications with staff. No additional resources have been earmarked to implement the guidance.
	Many existing communications staff will be transferring to the new organisations and the national health service is expected to enhance its communications capabilities as part of good management—not at the expense of other aspects of patient care.

Primary Health Care Trusts

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average size is of the population of a primary health care trust; and what guidelines his Department has on the ideal size of a trust.

John Hutton: There is no upper or lower size limit for primary care trusts (PCTs). The size and the configuration of PCTs remains a local decision, taken in the light of local circumstances. PCT size will depend on the services it wishes to provide for its population, the views of local stakeholders, the impact on other local organisations—including the boundary relationships with local authority partners, and whether the PCT is fit for purpose.
	The average population size of all PCTs from April 2002 will be around 170,000.

Design Champion

Debra Shipley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the role is of the Design Champion in his Department.

Hazel Blears: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Lord Hunt of Kings Heath), the Department's ministerial design champion is spearheading the implementation of the Department's design programme "Achieving Excellence in Healthcare Design". He will strive to maximise the benefits of our investment in the hospital building programme and ensure cross- Government working.
	He will raise the profile of design excellence by addressing the service and industry. For example, he will be delivering the keynote speech at the Primary Healthcare Design conference in May this year.
	He will also work closely with the national health service and architectural bodies, personally mentoring two projects, being Walsall Design Exemplar and South Manchester Primary Care Trust development.

Rail Journeys (Staff)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy that rail journeys undertaken by staff in his Department should ordinarily be on standard class tickets.

Hazel Blears: Section 8 of the Civil Service Management Code requires Departments and agencies to ensure that staff use the most efficient and economic means of travel in the circumstances, taking into account any management benefit or the needs of staff with disabilities. In line with that, the Department's policy is that all staff should consider travelling standard class unless they have a special need related to their work.

Waiting Times (Greater London)

Tom Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are waiting for (a) knee replacement, (b) cataract and (c) hernia operations in the Greater London area.

John Hutton: The information requested is not held centrally. Data are collected only at consultant specialty level.

Trust Merger (Lancashire)

Lindsay Hoyle: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the printing of stationery for a single Trust Board at Chorley and South Ribble and Preston hospitals before the consultation period on the proposed merger has been completed;
	(2)  when he expects to announce the conclusion of the consultation on the proposed merger of Chorley and South Ribble NHS Trust and Preston Acute Hospital NHS Trust.

Hazel Blears: An announcement on the proposed merger will be made in due course.

NHS Charges

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his policy is towards social services departments being charged by the NHS for people who remain in hospital after being medically discharged.

Jacqui Smith: The current policy is that councils with social services responsibilities, are not charged by the national health service for people who remain in hospital after being medically discharged.

Digital Hearing Aids

Andrew George: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with suppliers of digital hearing aids to provide a cost effective expansion of the delivery of the technology to the deaf and hard of hearing.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 25 February 2002
	Officials in the National Health Service Purchasing and Supply Agency have held discussions with a majority of suppliers of digital hearing aids, as part of a supplier evaluation exercise. The discussions centred around supply chain issues, production facilities, quality control, capacity and flexibility. No conclusions have yet been reached.
	The Royal National Institute for the Deaf is managing the Modernising Hearing Aid Services project on behalf of the Department. The other bodies involved in this project are the NHS Purchasing and Supply Agency, and the Medical Research Council/Institute of Hearing Research.

Special Advisers

Tim Collins: To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions since 1 May 1997 (a) departmental and (b) non-departmental special advisers have travelled abroad in an official capacity; and if he will list the total cost, including (i) travel, (ii) accommodation and (iii) subsistence allowance, for each occasion.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 27 February 2002
	Special advisers in the Department did not travel abroad in an official capacity in the period 1 April 2000 and 31 March 2001. Information relating to the period from May 1997 was given in the reply to the hon. Member for Chichester (Mr. Tyrie) on 5 July 1999, Official Report, column 393W. All travel by special advisers is undertaken in accordance with the rules set out in the Ministerial Code, and the Civil Service Management Code.

Commission for Health Improvement

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to merge the National Care Standards Commission and the Commission for Health Improvement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 February 2002
	We have said that there should be closer working, and over time, organisational integration between the National Care Standards Commission, the Commission for Health Improvement, and other bodies so that health and social care services are subject to a common set of standards whether they are provided by public, private or voluntary sector organisations.
	We will take further steps at the earliest opportunity to rationalise the number of bodies inspecting and regulating health and social care.

Asthma

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the needs of children with asthma will be included in the National Service Framework for Children; and if he will make a statement.

Jacqui Smith: holding answer 28 February 2002
	We are currently in the process of clarifying the precise scope of the Children's National Service Framework (NSF). This NSF will look at all aspects of children's health and development; it will not consider every disease and condition but will concentrate on generic standards.
	We have decided that the NSF should set out exemplars to show how national standards should apply in particular areas. We have already announced that autism will be one. Asthma will be another. Exemplars will be used to illustrate how the standards should be applied to ensure that services delivered to children are effective and meet their needs.

MRSA

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what his latest assessment is of the number of deaths caused in hospitals in England and Wales last year by MRSA superbug infections.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 28 February 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1087W.

Liverpool Royal Children's Hospital

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider placing a memorial at Liverpool Royal Children's Hospital to children whose parts were retained.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer Friday 1 March 2002
	We believe this matter should be discussed locally between hospital staff and families affected by organ retention.
	However, the Retained Organs Commission are happy to discuss with parents any views on this that they have.

Correspondence

Marion Roe: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the hon. Member for Broxbourne will receive a reply to her letters of 23 October 2001, 29 November 2001, 2 January and 26 February, relating to correspondence about Zyban from her constituent, Mr. Edward Weston of Broxbourne.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 1 March 2002
	A reply was sent on 1 March 2002.

Climate Change Levy

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the change in costs incurred by the NHS as a result of the introduction of the climate change levy.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 4 March 2002
	The estimated cost of the climate change levy, paid by the national health service on national contracts, is almost £24.5 million inclusive of VAT.
	The effects of the climate change levy were designed to be offset by a reduction in the employers national insurance contributions.

Orthodontists (Mid-Essex Hospital Trust)

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many children and young people under the age of 18 years have been waiting for (a) an out-patient and (b) an in-patient appointment with an orthodontist in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area;
	(2)  how many children and young people under the age of 18 years have been waiting: (a) under six months, (b) over six months but under one year, (c) over one year but under 18 months, (d) over two years, (e) over three years and (f) over four years for an in-patient appointment with an orthodontist in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area;
	(3)  how many children and young people under the age of 18 years have been waiting: (a) under 13 weeks, (b) over 13 weeks and under one year, (c) over one year and (d) over two years or more for an out-patient appointment to see an orthodontist in the Mid-Essex Hospital Trust area.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 5 March 2002
	The total number of patients waiting for a first out-patient appointment for orthodontics at Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust is shown in the table.
	
		Waiting times for first outpatient appointment, Mid-Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust
		
			   Of those GP written referrals seen, the number who waited (in weeks) Patients still waiting  
			 Quarter/Speciality Number of GP written referral requests seen 0 to 3 4 to 12 13 to 25 26 plus Over 13 weeks Over 26 weeks 
		
		
			 September 2001
			 Orthodontics 37 8 4 8 17 65 4 
			 
			 December 2001
			 Orthodontics 75 7 11 32 25 28 16 
		
	
	Note:
	This information is not collected by age.
	Source:
	Department of Health form QM08

Medical Tests

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities are available in (a) the Brighton Healthcare NHS Trust and (b) the Worthing-Southlands NHS Trust to administer (i) Indium III octreotide imaging, (ii) fasting gut hormone profile, (iii) plasma chromogranin test, and (iv) 5HIAA urine tests; and how many such tests have been carried out there in the last 12 months.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Details of the facilities available on each site and the number of tests carried out are not collected centrally.

Overseas Treatment

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which commercial agencies have been used for matching NHS patients with treatment centres on the continent; and what the basis is of their remuneration.

John Hutton: holding answer 11 March 2002
	GerMedic GmBh, a German company, has arranged treatment for patients from the south-east pilot scheme in two German hospitals. The NHS has negotiated with the organisation an overall price for the packages of treatment needed by patients, from which GerMedic will receive remuneration. The prices are commercially confidential.

Air Ambulances

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the areas of the country (a) which have been supported by an air ambulance service in the last 12 months, (b) which are currently supported and (c) where services are planned in the near future.

Hazel Blears: holding answer 8 March 2002
	There are currently 12 charitably funded air ambulance services operating in England. These are:
	Cornwall
	Kent
	West Midlands
	Devon
	North East England
	Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire
	Essex
	North West England
	Thames Valley
	Dorset and Somerset
	West Yorkshire
	East Anglia.
	In addition, the helicopter emergency medical service covers London within the M25 motorway. There are also helicopter air ambulance services provided in the form of joint operations with the police in both Sussex and Wiltshire.
	The charities are responsible for the number of aircraft provided.

Information Technology

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the budget for IT in the NHS in each of the last five years.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 March 2002
	There is not a specific budget for information technology investment. The majority of costs are met from the baseline allocations made via health authorities. Health communities then make their investment decisions based on local priority. These investments are not aggregated at a national level but have been estimated at £800 million per year—this estimate includes a very broad spectrum of costs including maintenance of finance and other administrative systems.
	Some new funds have been made available for specific targeted information management and technology developments—£113 million was hypothecated in 2001–02 and £82 million for 2002–03. These sums revert to baseline after one year.

Information Technology

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contracts his Department has placed in the last two years or expects to place in the next two years for IT improvements in the NHS; and with which providers.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Separate figures for IT improvements are not collated. The Department and the national health service organise contracts in such a way as to obtain both value for money and maintain local choice where appropriate. There are national contracts for major national infrastructure, central catalogue arrangements for mature products, and local procurements for many specific items, which need to be integrated with existing systems.

Cancer Care

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to respond to the Audit Commission/CHI report on cancer care in England and Wales.

Yvette Cooper: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Audit Commission and Commission for Health Improvement report provides a useful baseline to assess cancer services at the time of the publication of the Cancer Plan. In December last year, we published The "NHS Cancer Plan—Making Progress", which sets out the action and achievements made in the first year following the publication of the NHS Cancer Plan.

Drug Addicts

Paul Flynn: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the average waiting time for treatment for drug addicts in (a) the last 12 months and (b) each of the previous five years.

Hazel Blears: I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	We do not hold figures for the years in question.
	However, the National Treatment Agency (NTA) set targets for waiting times in December 2001 (see table) and asked Drug Action Teams (DATS) to notify the NTA of their current situation and the targets they are setting for this year. NTA regional managers will be working with DATS to identify a realistic workplan for them to achieve the targets over the next two years. The NTA is planning to initiate work with the NHS modernisation agency to work with the worst performers to identify shortcomings in their systems, structures and approach which are inhibiting improvement.
	The NTA will be issuing guidance in March 2002 to all DATs on setting maximum waiting times for services for 2002–03.
	
		
			   Average baseline waiting time (weeks) 1999–2000(18) NTA Maximum waiting times (weeks) 2002–03 NTA Maximum waiting times (weeks) 2003–04 
		
		
			 In-patient detox 6.1 4 2 
			 Community prescribing—specialist 10.2 6 3 
			 Community prescribing—GPs 5 4 2 
			 Structured counselling 4 4 2 
			 Structured day care programme 3.3 4 3 
			 Residential rehab 5.4 4 3 
		
	
	(18) Based on average waiting times reported by DATs in 1999–2000 annual reports.
	Note:
	1 week = five working days.

Parliamentary Questions

Eric Forth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W, on parliamentary questions, what changes he has made to the system for ministerial responsibility for answering questions, with special reference to clearing the backlog of unanswered questions.

Alan Milburn: Subject to a final audit against the Official Report, all outstanding questions that were due for reply by the Department before 14 February have now received responses. Since 5 March we have received 453 parliamentary questions and answered over 700.
	The investigation into the circumstances of the apparent systematic falsification of the record management system in the parliamentary section is under way; and I will report to Parliament on the outcome as soon as possible.

Remuneration

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of individuals in his (a) Department, (b) related agencies and (c) related non- departmental public bodies whose annual remuneration including benefits in kind exceeded (i) £100,000 and (ii) £200,000 in each of the last four years.

Hazel Blears: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	The information requested about the Department and its agencies is shown in the table.
	
		(i) £100,000
		
			 Year (a) Department (b) Agencies 
		
		
			 1998 (19)— (20)— 
			 1999 23 (20)— 
			 2000 27 1 
			 2001 11 1 
		
	
	(19) Statistics at this level are not recorded.
	(20) Separate figures for the agencies are not recorded.
	Source:
	Cabinet Office staff in post as at 1 April annual returns.
	(ii) £200,000 plus current salaries do not exceed this level.
	The information for non-departmental public bodies is available in the annual Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies", copies of which are placed in the Libraries of the House.

Temporary Nursing Staff

Evan Harris: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he will take against those trusts which choose not to use NHS Professionals to provide their temporary nursing staff.

John Hutton: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	Current advice to trusts about the use of NHS Professionals is contained in HCS 2001–02.

Transplant Centre (Glasgow)

Gisela Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions there have been between the NSCAG and their Scottish colleagues on the new transplant centre in Glasgow.

John Hutton: holding answer 20 July 2001
	I apologise to my hon. Friend for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
	Discussions have taken place with the Scottish Executive and they are participating in the work to develop national standards for the service.
	Specific decisions on the restart of the adult heart transplant surgery service at North Glasgow University Hospital NHS Trust are however a matter for the Scottish Executive Minister for Health and Community Care.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Small Businesses

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of registered small businesses were located in rural areas in each year since 1990; and how many of those small businesses were (a) farming-related and (b) non-farming related.

Alun Michael: The earliest year for which information is available is 1994. Information on 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999 is not readily available.
	1994—35 per cent. of all VAT registered businesses are in rural districts/unitaries
	(a) 84,180 are in the agriculture and fishing sector (SIC1992 1 )
	(b) 400,315 are in other sectors.
	1997—35 per cent. of all VAT registered businesses are in rural districts/unitaries
	(a) 80,000 are in the agriculture and fishing sector (SIC1992 1 )
	(b) 391075 are in other sectors.
	2000—34 per cent. of all VAT registered businesses are in rural districts/unitaries
	(a) 76,995 are in the agriculture and fishing sector (SIC1992 1 )
	(b) 405,915 are in other sectors.
	2001—34 per cent. of all VAT registered businesses are in rural districts/unitaries
	(a) 76,906 are in the agriculture and fishing sector (SIC1992 1 )
	(b) 409,560 are in other sectors.
	1 Nearest Farming related category as listed in the Standard Industrial Classification 1992.
	Notes:
	1. Rural areas are defined as the rural local authority districts and unitary authorities as classified by the Rural Development Commission and currently used by the Countryside Agency.
	2. As 99 per cent. of all businesses in rural areas are "small" i.e. less than 50 employees, the figure for all businesses is provided. Sources: District/Unitary data from IDBR via NOMIS Ward level data from ONS Neighbourhood Stats website from IDBR.

Small Businesses

Colin Breed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what proportion of people were employed in rural areas by registered small businesses in each year since 1990; and how many of those employed worked in (a) farming-related and (b) non-farming related jobs.

Alun Michael: The information requested is not available from DEFRA sources. We are consulting the Office for National Statistics to see whether any figures can be produced.

Refrigerators

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  if she will provide further financial assistance for local authorities for the storage of fridges for the period January to March;
	(2)  when she will announce the financial assistance to be given to local authorities for the storage of refrigerators from April 2002; and if she will make a statement.

Michael Meacher: In early December, I announced a payment of £6 million to cover local authority costs from January to March 2002. This payment will be made through the Revenue Support Grant for 2002/2003 and will be distributed to waste disposal authorities according to the Standard Spending Assessment Formula. We are monitoring the impact of the Regulation and assessing what further action is required.

Refrigerators

Michael Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's understanding of paragraph 14 of the recitals to EC Regulation 2037/2000 as agreed on 29 June 2000.

Michael Meacher: Paragraph 14 of the recitals to EC Regulation 2037/2000 states,
	"Provision should be made for the recovery of used controlled substances, and to prevent leakages of controlled substances."
	Article 16 of the Regulation deals with the,
	"Recovery of used controlled substances" and Article 17, "Leakages of controlled substances".
	According to the clarification finally given of Article 16(2), it applies to the recovery of controlled substances in domestic refrigeration, used either as the refrigerant or to blow the insulating foam. Thus, the UK's understanding is that the provision referred to in paragraph 14 of the recitals relates inter alia to recovery from refrigeration insulating foam.

Refrigerators

John Maples: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, pursuant to the statement of the Minister for the Environment of 31 January 2002, Official Report, column 414, how the figure of £6 million was reached.

Michael Meacher: This figure was based on early estimates of the costs that local authorities would have for storage in the period January to March 2002. However, we are monitoring developments and shall continue to assess the impacts of the Regulation to determine what further action is required beyond that.

Refrigerators

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will make a statement about meetings between her Department and Commissioner Wallstrom on the impact of the directive on disposal of refrigerators.

Michael Meacher: I discussed EC Regulation 2037/2000 and its impact on the disposal of refrigerators on the telephone with Commissioner Wallstrom on 4 February.
	My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State discussed EC Regulation 2037/2000 and its impact on the disposal of refrigerators with Commissioner Wallstrom in the margins of the Environment Council meeting on 4 March.
	There have been numerous meetings between my officials and those from the European Commission where this issue was discussed. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 6 February 2002, Official Report, column 989w.

Refrigerants

Jonathan Sayeed: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if she will issue guidance to departmental procurement officers indicating the Government's preference for using not-in-kind refrigerants where they are safe and do not entail excessive costs.

Michael Meacher: My officials recently reminded Departments of the Government's preference for using refrigerants with the lowest global warming potential. This guidance is currently available in publications such as the "Green Guide for Buyers" which is on the Greening Government website. The advice is to avoid procuring products containing or manufactured with gaseous and non-gaseous substances that contribute to climate change by specifying more environmentally acceptable alternatives where it is safe, cost-effective and technically feasible to do so.

Community Service Fund

Norman Lamb: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how many applications have been made for assistance from the Community Service Fund, broken down by county, for the provision of (a) village shops and (b) pubs;
	(2)  how many payments have been made from the Community Service Fund, broken down by county, for the provision of (a) village shops and (b) pubs; and what the total sum has been paid out to date.

Alun Michael: This information is not currently available in the detail requested at county level. I understand that the information should be available through the Countryside Agency's website at the end of March.
	The table gives the information immediately available on the number of applications, payments and projects by region.
	
		Community services grant information
		
			 Region Number of applications Number of projects Number of payments £ 
		
		
			 North East 22 13 20 66,981,77 
			 North West 31 9 10 80,815.6 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber 35 18 25 82,758.54 
			 East Midlands 54 25 26 103,241.63 
			 West Midlands 55 42 75 276,073.05 
			 East of England 62 49 55 258,508.91 
			 South East and London 65 38 37 169,159,96 
			 South West 76 39 51 189,291.01 
			 Total 400 233 299 1,226,830.47

Combined Heat and Power

Peter Duncan: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what has been the change in combined heat and power output since the introduction of the new electricity trading arrangement.

Michael Meacher: holding answer 12 March 2002
	NETA is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. However, the report by the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets, Report to DTI on the Review of the Initial Impact of NETA on Smaller Generators, issued in August, indicated that the export of power from CHP has reduced by around 60% compared with a year previously. The Government have consulted on their response to Ofgem's report and will publish their response shortly.

Litter and Graffiti

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what statistics are collated to quantify the amount of (a) litter and (b) graffiti by local authority area.

Michael Meacher: The Department does not collate statistics quantifying the amount of (a) litter and (b) graffiti by local authority area.

Drinking Water

Joan Walley: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what research has been undertaken in respect of access throughout the working day to drinking water.

Alan Whitehead: I have been asked to reply.
	The Health and Safety Executive has not undertaken research in respect to the provision and access of drinking water throughout the day in the workplace.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Tourism

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the estimated cost to the tourist industry is of (a) the events of 11 September and (b) foot and mouth; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: holding answer 28 February 2002
	It is estimated that foot and mouth disease caused direct losses to the tourism industry during the months of March–August 2001 of between £2.7 billion and £3.2 billion in terms of value added.
	Visitor expenditure from overseas residents fell by £1.8 billion in 2001, compared to 2000. This downturn is mainly attributable to the impact of foot and mouth disease, the events of 11 September and current global economic conditions.
	The impact across the country has been mixed and there are signs that we are now in the early stages of a recovery.

English Heritage Sites

John Greenway: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what her estimate is of the annual cost to English Heritage of allowing free access to English Heritage sites for (a) under 16s and students, (b) pensioners and (c) all visitors;
	(2)  what her estimate is of the annual cost to (a) the Government and (b) English Heritage allowing free access to English Heritage sites for (i) under 16s and students, (ii) pensioners and (iii) all visitors.

Kim Howells: holding answer 4 March 2002
	Some 70 per cent. of English Heritage sites are already free to all visitors. In addition, over half a million children, students and teachers enjoy free admission to English Heritage sites on education visits. English Heritage estimate that extending free admission to all groups of young people would cost them £650,000 a year. Following the publication of The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future, we are considering, together with all relevant bodies, how the principle of free access for children might be extended to the historic environment sector. There are no plans at this stage to extend this to other groups of visitors.

Film Production

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what the Government are doing to encourage film production companies in the north-east.

Kim Howells: The Film Council has undertaken a major initiative to increase the level of film activity in England under its England-wide Strategy. The most significant development within the north-east in response has been the creation of Northern Film and Media (NFM), which has developed a strategy for film in the region for the first time. Whilst NFM is responsible for activity right across the spectrum of film—exhibition and education as well as production—it is already dedicating substantial effort to supporting production companies and film making within the region. NFM also acts as a conduit between film makers in the north-east and Film Council-run film production funds and is expected to increase the take-up of these funds by north-east companies and individuals. In the next financial year NFM will directly invest over £1.1 million in the development of people, companies and projects in the north-east.

External Contracts

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many contracts were let by her Department, and agencies for which she is responsible, with external companies and organisations in the calendar years (a) 1997, (b) 1998, (c) 1999, (d) 2000, (e) 2001 and (f) 2002 to the latest date for which figures are available, indicating the (i) names of the companies and organisations involved and (ii) remuneration made in each case.

Kim Howells: The details listed relate to contracts arranged by the Department's procurement team. Details of contract value are not currently held on the team's database and this information could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Contracts of amounts below £5,000 are usually handled by individual divisions and there is no central record kept of these contracts.
	
		
			 Year   
		
		
			 1997 North London Universith 
			  HeriotWatt University 
			  Francis Carnwath 
			  AEA Consultants 
			  Tourism Research Group 
			  North London University (CELTS) 
			  Civil Service College 
			  Gartner Group 
			  Hornagold and Hills 
			  Barclay Simpson 
			  Stephanie Greenwood 
			  A. A. Barnes 
			  Alliance Paper Group 
			  Euro Log Limited 
			  J. Walter Thompson 
			  Coopers and Lybrand 
			  Mary Bustin 
			  Anthony Pender 
			  Merrell Holberton 
			  Chessington CC 
			   
			 1998 Pay and Personnel Agy 
			  JFM Moving Services 
			  Throwers 
			  Courtauld Institute 
			  Portman Travel 
			  Richard Girling 
			  CLA 
			  Dr. P. Johnson 
			  Kroll Associates 
			  British Library RIC 
			  Hurst Interior Ctts 
			  Institute of Public Finance 
			  Saxton Bampfylde 
			  Dudley Stationery Ltd. 
			  Roy Tutty Associates 
			  Angela Jackson 
			  Belmont Press 
			  Yale Press Ltd. 
			  Ancient House Press 
			  Colibri Press Ltd. 
			  Taylor Bloxham 
			  BSC Print Ltd. 
			  SRU Ltd. 
			  COI 
			  Nelsons 
			  SCPR 
			  Neil Watson 
			  Goddard Kay Rogers 
			  North London University-CELTS 
			  Paul Passemard 
			  EC Harris 
			  EC Harris 
			  Sykes and Sons Ltd. 
			  CAPITA/RAS 
			  CAPITA/RAS 
			  Geoff Broom Assoc 
			  T/A Quest 
			  Insight 
			  Sara John 
			  Sky Photo Services 
			  CAPITA/RAS 
			  Rebecca Hawkins 
			  John Myerscough 
			  Policy Studies Institute 
			  Institute of Public Finance 
			  Paymaster 
			  Bill Wilkinson 
			  City Despatch Service 
			  Nightspeed Services 
			  Key Training Ltd. 
			  Key Training Ltd. 
			  Inde Theatre Council 
			  Jane Leighton 
			  Chessington CS 
			  Lloyds Bank Ltd. 
			  London Economics 
			  IPF Ltd. 
			  NB Selection Ltd. 
			  Leisure Futures Ltd. 
			  Rebecca Hawkins 
			 1999 Chessington CS 
			  nmc & kay 
			  Computer Cab 
			  Durham University 
			  Olsberg/SPI 
			  Deloitte and Touche 
			  John Stephens 
			  Watts and Partners 
			  Josephine Sammons 
			  WSP 
			  CAG 
			  Sheffield Hallam Uni 
			  KPMG 
			  Durham University 
			  Sara John 
			  Mori 
			  British Screen Advisory Council 
			  Jura Consultants 
			  Neil Jackson 
			  Sheffield Hallam 
			  Brann Interactive 
			  Chessington 
			  Bridge Media 
			  Birkbeck College 
			  The Industrial Soc. 
			  The Development Partnership 
			  PKF 
			  PricewaterhouseCoopers 
			  A. J. Kearney 
			  Felicity Woolf 
			  Keith Spencer 
			  Lloyds TSB 
			  Children's Play Policy Forum 
			  SPRITO 
			  Children's Play Council 
			  National Children's Bureau 
			  Spectrum 
			  PWC 
			 2000 Right Management 
			  Brian Farrington 
			  Arts Metier 
			  Royal Bank of Scotland 
			  BIP 
			  Cubitt Theobald 
			  ORC International 
			  Xerox (UK) Limited 
			  Pannel Kerr Forster 
			  David Beeton 
			  City University 
			  Domino Consultants 
			  The Learning Laboratory 
			 2001 University of North London 
			  Durham University 
			  Charles Leadbeater 
			  Organica 
			  OLSWANG 
			  Stewart Signs 
			  DTZ Pieda 
			  Karolyn Cooper 
			  SRU Limited 
			  Eurest 
			  Tim Mason 
			  Business Strategies 
			  PUK 
			  ORC International 
			  R. Whish 
			  SRU Limited 
			  MORI 
			  D. Farr 
			  SE/YST/BST 
			  Euclid 
			  TSO 
			 2002 Royal Mint 
			  University of Limerick 
			  Nottingham Trent University 
			  Robert Palmer 
			  Kingshurst Consulting Group

World Heritage Sites

David Wright: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what plans she has to increase Government support for United Kingdom World Heritage sites.

Kim Howells: The Government take their responsibilities for this country's World Heritage Sites very seriously. This was reflected in the Government's statement, The Historic Environment: A Force for Our Future (AFFOF), published on 13 December 2001, which included a commitment to complete management plans for all of England's current World Heritage Sites by the end of this year. We plan to publish an implementation plan to take forward the AFFOF agenda, including this commitment, shortly.
	AFFOF followed on from the publication on 12 December 2001 of a Green Paper on the effectiveness of the existing planning system. This Paper is providing an opportunity for representations to be made on how best to safeguard the future of our World Heritage Sites through that system.
	The management teams at our World Heritage Sites are, of course, eligible to apply for English Heritage and heritage lottery fund grants in the usual way.

Golden Jubilee Medal

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  if she will make it her policy that The Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal should be awarded to serving members of the Prison Service;
	(2)  if she will list the categories of people who will be entitled to be awarded the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal;
	(3)  what plans she has to extend the categories of those who will be entitled to receive the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal; and if she will make a statement.

Tessa Jowell: The medal is being issued to serving members of the armed forces and Royal Fleet Auxiliary and to the '999' emergency services. Eligibility is restricted to those who completed a minimum of five years' reckonable service on 6 February 2002—the 50th anniversary of the Queen's Accession. The detailed criteria for distribution are being worked out. The Prison Service is not an emergency service and therefore does not come within the criteria for the issue of the medal.

Swimming Pools

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many swimming pools there are in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) coalfield constituencies.

Richard Caborn: We have contacted the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions and Sport England to request the information required, and I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as it is available, placing copies of my letter in the Libraries of both Houses.

Lottery Bids

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many lottery bids were made from coalfield constituencies in the last 12 months; and what the United Kingdom average is.

Richard Caborn: Comprehensive information on applications for lottery grants is not centrally held at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). However, research commissioned from Sheffield Hallam University by DCMS and Lottery distributors, which was published in 1999, found that coalfield areas had generated 2.5 fewer applications per 10,000 people than the national average.

Royal Institute of British Architects

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department last met the Royal Institute of British Architects; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Ministers and officials in my Department hold regular meetings with the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA). My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for the Arts met officials from RIBA on 11 October 2001.

Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when her Department last met the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment; and if she will make a statement.

Kim Howells: Ministers and officials in my Department hold regular meetings with the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (CABE). On 30 January 2002, officials attended a formal meeting which included most Commissioners. Less formal meetings between officials and CABE have taken place since. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last met the Chairman and Chief Executive of CABE on 20 November 2001.

New Radio Stations

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what regulations govern introduction of new radio stations.

Kim Howells: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The framework for independent radio licensing is contained in the Broadcasting Acts of 1990 and 1996, which set out the broad procedures which the Radio Authority must follow when advertising and awarding licences. The legislation includes general provisions for the authority to do all it can to secure a range and diversity of services, calculated to appeal to a variety of tastes and interests. In awarding individual local licences, the authority also has to consider how far the service would broaden the range of programmes available in the area by way of independent local radio services and, in particular, serve tastes and interests not already provided for.
	In respect of the BBC, they must apply to the Secretary of State for any new radio services. The Secretary of State will then assess any proposal against the criteria set out in the public service approvals guidelines. These include distinctiveness (in programming and content) of the proposed BBC service from those provided by other broadcasters.

Non-Governmental Organisations

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, pursuant to his answer of 1 March 2002, Official Report, column 1633W, on non-Governmental organisations, what information he collates on the funding of non-Governmental organisations by his Department, with particular reference to those operating on a regional level; and if he will make a statement.

Richard Caborn: My Department funds a large number of non-departmental public bodies which may in turn decide to pass on some of their allocation to non-governmental organisations. This information is not collated by my Department.

DEFENCE

Training

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to (a) increase the number of training areas and (b) sell training areas.

Lewis Moonie: There are no plans to increase the total number of training areas, although, where appropriate, purchases may be made to augment existing sites if suitable land comes on to the market. Equally, the Department will dispose of land for which it no longer has a use.
	As a general policy the size of the defence estate is kept under constant review. The Ministry of Defence is currently undertaking a study to identify its core sites. This study includes the training areas.

Training

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many military training areas there are in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) England and (d) Northern Ireland.

Lewis Moonie: Excluding areas that are ranges only, the numbers of military training areas in the UK are as follows:
	(a) Scotland—18
	(b) Wales—9
	(c) England—95
	(d) Northern Ireland—2.
	The terms of the land holdings comprise a mixture of freehold, leasehold and training rights licences.
	The number of areas which are ranges only are:
	(a) Scotland—9
	(b) Wales—7
	(c) England—22
	(d) Northern Ireland—2.

War Pensions

Rachel Squire: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates the cost of war pensions will be in each of the next 20 years.

Lewis Moonie: The cost of war pensions can be estimated only up to Financial Year 2006–07 and is set out in the table.
	
		
			  £ billion 
		
		
			 2002–03 1.186 
			 2003–04 1.148 
			 2004–05 1.118 
			 2005–06 1.085 
			 2006–07 1.046

Gripen Aircraft

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what work has been done to evaluate the Gripen aircraft; when it was completed; if the result of the evaluation is available; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: The Gripen aircraft was evaluated as part of a Combined Operational Effectiveness and Investment Appraisal (COEIA), completed in 1996, in connection with the Eurofighter programme. Whilst Gripen is an excellent aircraft, our studies confirmed that Eurofighter is the most cost-effective option to meet the Royal Air Force's currently assessed future needs. However, the detailed results of the COEIA contain classified information, the release of which could compromise Royal Air Force operations. I am therefore withholding it in accordance with Exemption 1 (Defence, Security, and International Relations) of the code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Rail Journeys (Staff)

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the (a) percentage and number of rail journeys undertaken on first class tickets, (b) average cost of a first class journey by rail and (c) total cost of rail travel in each of the past four years broken down by grade of civil servant.

Lewis Moonie: This information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Halliburton Brown and Root (Contracts)

Jim Cousins: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts he has with Halliburton Brown and Root; and what the total value is of such contracts.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence currently has no direct contracts with Halliburton Brown and Root (HB&R). However, HB&R, as part of consortia, are involved in the ongoing contracts with Devonport Royal Dockyard Limited, and BRAMA, which runs the Multi-Activity Contract at RAF Valley for support Hawk Aircraft. HB&R also lead the FASTTRAX consortium which was awarded the £290 million Heavy Equipment Transporter Private Finance Initiative contract in December 2001.

Gender Pay Gap

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the extent of the gender pay gap amongst staff in his Department.

Lewis Moonie: In response to the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) Task Force 'Just Pay' report, the Government have committed Departments and agencies to review their pay systems by April 2003 and prepare action plans to close any equal pay gaps. The Cabinet Office issued comprehensive guidance in January 2002 to assist Departments and agencies in carrying out these reviews. This work is currently underway in the Ministry of Defence.

Multi-role Armoured Vehicles

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (a) estimated total project cost of, (b) total expenditure to date and (c) planned expenditure in each of the next three years on the multi-role armoured vehicle project.

Lewis Moonie: The total estimated procurement cost of the multi-role armoured vehicle is expected to exceed £1 billion. Expenditure to date amounts to some £20 million. I am withholding the information requested on planned expenditure for each of the next three years in accordance with Exemption 2 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

Advanced Air-launched Anti-armour Weapon

Gerald Howarth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the (a) estimated total project cost, (b) total expenditure to date and (c) planned expenditure for each of the next three years on the advanced air-launched anti-armour weapon project.

Lewis Moonie: The advanced air-launched anti-armour weapon project, BRIMSTONE, has approval to spend up to £849 million, but is currently forecast to spend some £809 million. Expenditure to the end of January 2002 is some £360 million. I am withholding information about planned expenditure for each of the next three years in accordance with Exemption 2 of the code of Practice on Access to Government Information which relates to internal discussion and advice.

Balkans

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the security situation in (a) Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and (b) Kosovo.

Adam Ingram: In Macedonia the continued implementation of the August 2001 Framework Agreement has greatly reduced the potential for violence. We continue to call on all sides to maintain the restraint that they have shown since the agreement was signed. The two NATO-led Task Forces, Harvest and Fox, have made major contributions to restoring stability in Macedonia.
	The security situation in Kosovo is generally improving. But organised crime and extremism remain significant problems and tackling them is a high priority for both the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) and KFOR. We continue to impress on leaders from all sections of the community the importance of tolerance and participation in the democratic process in Kosovo.

QinetiQ

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will investigate the running and control in QinetiQ in respect of weapon handling.

Lewis Moonie: There are currently no plans to investigate the running and control in QinetiQ in respect of weapon handling.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what interest the management of QinetiQ are permitted to hold in the shares of QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	At present, all QinetiQ shares are held by the Ministry of Defence on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
	Any future share scheme will be subject to our negotiations with potential strategic partners. The MOD is committed to ensuring all staff, not just senior management, can participate in such a scheme.
	A key principle of any scheme will be to gear benefits to a rise in value of QinetiQ, thus incentivising staff, and increasing the value to the taxpayer.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assets, business and shareholdings not previously owned by the Government have been acquired by QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Acquisitions by QinetiQ and other such operational activities are a matter for the company and I have therefore asked the Chief Executive to write to the hon. Member directly.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provisions exist to stop QinetiQ gaining access to classified information after it has been transferred to the private sector that is not available to other companies.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Prior to the vesting of QinetiQ as a plc on 1 July 2001, an extensive exercise was undertaken to ensure that any Government-only information was removed from the company. QinetiQ will only be given access to that Government information necessary for it to carry out tasks for Ministry of Defence customers on same basis as any other MOD supplier.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he proposes to maintain a separation of work conducted by the Defence Science and Technical laboratory on behalf of (a) QinetiQ following its transfer to the private sector and (b) his Department.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	A set of guidelines has been drawn up which define those circumstances in which Dstl will take on work other than for Government. These apply equally whether the work is done for QinetiQ or any other commercial organisation. Any work carried out for any non-government customer, including the supply of services, goods, products or intellectual property, will be undertaken only with the authority of Ministry of Defence.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civil service jobs will be taken over by private consultants as a result of the transfer of parts of DERA to the private sector; how many public sector redundancies there will be; what the cost of those redundancies will be; and who will bear the costs of those redundancies.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	On 1 July 2001, 8,720 DERA staff transferred to QinetiQ plc, and therefore ceased at that point to be civil servants. No other transfers from the public sector are currently envisaged as part of the PPP.
	No redundancies are directly attributable to the transfer of staff to QinetiQ.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who the shareholders in QinetiQ are; and who has rights to acquire shares in QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	All the shares in QinetiQ are held by Ministry of Defence, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence, and currently no one else has the right to acquire shares. We will go through competitive process to identify by summer 2002 a preferred bidder for a proportion of the equity in QinetiQ.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence who are the main contractors bidding for work from (a) the Defence and Science Technical Laboratory and (b) QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	At any one time there is an extremely broad range of commercial concerns and academia bidding for work generated by the requirements of Dstl and QinetiQ. It is not possible to actually predict who will be bidding for work from the two organisations given the wide nature of work that they would be seeking to subcontract.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what he estimates will be the total proceeds of sale of shares in QinetiQ to the private sector.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	It is premature to speculate at this stage on the potential value of the QinetiQ transaction, and to do so would undermine our negotiating position with potential investors. Our priority is to seek to maximise value to the taxpayer.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to allow former DERA properties to be developed for (a) housing and (b) commercial development outside the normal business of QinetiQ.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 22 May 2000, Official Report, columns 319W-20W, detailing DERA's future estate redevelopment and disposal plans. At that time four sites, Chertsey, Bromley (Aquilla), West Drayton and Farnborough Queens site, were identified by DERA as becoming surplus as part of their continuous estate review process. Prior to the vesting of QinetiQ on 1 July 2001 only Farnborough Queens site was sold, although part of the site is leased back by QinetiQ. Information relating to the business plans of QinetiQ plc is commercial in confidence and therefore details of current property redevelopment and disposal plans is being withheld under exemption 14 of the Code of Practice on Access to Government Information.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans there are to issue shares in QinetiQ on a recognised stock exchange.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	As I announced on 6 March 2002, Official Report, columns 313–14W, the initial transaction involves the sale of a proportion of the shares in QinetiQ to a strategic investor, with a flotation of the remaining stake as a possible exit route in two to four years. Detailed planning for this would obviously take place nearer the time.

QinetiQ

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list (a) real estate properties and (b) intellectual property rights that the Government have transferred or plan to transfer to QinetiQ, indicating (i) how each property has been valued, (ii) if he plans to make such transfers at full market value and (iii) what arrangements there will be to claw back increases in the value of such properties.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The information is as follows:
	(a) The real estate properties transferred to QinetiQ are listed:
	
		List of QinetiQ owned sites
		
			 Name Location Size(21) 
		
		
			 Aberporth Aberporth, Ceredigion 48 
			 Alverstoke Gosport, Hampshire 9 
			 Angle Pembrokeshire 19 
			 Aquila Bromley, Kent 10 
			 Bedford Enclave Clapham, Bedford 6 
			 Bedford Tunnels Clapham, Bedford 35 
			 Bedford Twinwoods Clapham, Bedford 21 
			 Bincleaves Weymouth, Dorset 3 
			 Chertsey Chertsey, Surrey 121 
			 Christchurch(22) Christchurch, Dorset 3 
			 Cobbet Hill Woking, Surrey 76 
			 Farnborough Codey Farnborough, Hampshire 149 
			 Fort Halstead Sevenoaks, Kent 135 
			 Fraser Eastney, Portsmouth, Hampshire 5 
			 Funtington North Chichester, West Sussex 16 
			 Haslar(22) Gosport, Hampshire 16 
			 Hurn Main Bournemouth, East Dorset 98 
			 Hurn Barnsfield Bournemouth, East Dorset 143 
			 Hurn Saddleheath Bournemouth, East Dorset 20 
			 Hutton Moor West Super Mare, North Somerset 6 
			 Malvern Main Site Malvern, Worcester 28 
			 Malvern Science Park Malvern, Worcester 5 
			 Pershore Throckmorton, Worcester 110 
			 Portsdown LBTS Portsmouth, Hampshire 11 
			 Pyestock North Farnborough, Hampshire 53 
			 Pyestock South Farnborough, Hampshire 34 
			 West Drayton Heathrow, Middlesex 2 
		
	
	(21) Approximate hectares
	(22) These sites are a mixture of freehold and leased land.
	Note:
	Sizes are approximate and have been rounded.
	In addition QinetiQ are leaseholders at a number of other sites.
	(i) GVA Grimley, an independent professional valuation company, were engaged by DERA to perform a valuation exercise to determine the "fair value" of the property portfolio as at 30 June 2001. The methodology used for the valuation was:
	(a) Non-specialsed properties—existing use value
	(b) Specialised properties—depreciated replacement cost
	(c) Properties surplus to requirements—open market value
	(d) Properties held as investment—open market value.
	(ii) All properties were transferred to QinetiQ at the values calculated by GVA Grimley using the most appropriate methodology, as outlined in (i).
	(iii) All sites where freehold or leasehold title has transferred to QinetiQ are subject to a clawback arrangement contractually agreed with the MOD. This limits QinetiQ's ability to make abnormal profits on disposal. The clawback agreement was based on the valuations conducted by GVA Grimley in 2001, with an allowance for inflation over the 12-year period of the agreement. It provides for MOD to share a proportion of any additional receipts above this value; this proportion starts at 50 per cent. and decreases gradually over the life of the agreement.
	This clawback agreement provides an appropriate balance between sharing future benefits from estate sales and incentivising the company to manage its assets efficiently.
	(b) Due to the volume involved, it is not possible to list all the Intellectual Property (IP) transferred to QinetiQ (e.g. over 3,000 patents that have been assigned to the company).
	The basic principal adopted was that QinetiQ should be put in the same position as any other defence contractor, i.e. where IP had been generated within that part of DERA that was to become QinetiQ then QinetiQ should own the IPR. As with the rest of industry, MOD retains free user rights where public money was used to create the IP.
	(i) and (ii) There was no valuation attributed to the IP at vesting as value will be realised within the value of future sales of MOD's shareholdings.
	(iii) IP clawback provision has not been provided in this PPP. This mirrors MOD policy, which is not to include any form of levy agreement when letting contracts for research and technology with other parts of industry, the reason for this being that in contrast to equipment it is virtually impossible to trace the research and technology that may have been used to generate future revenue. As a significant shareholder in QinetiQ for the next few years, we believe that the freedom and encouragement to exploit results commercially represents better overall value for money than pursuing a clawback arrangement where the extent of bureaucracy would be great and the potential returns difficult to obtain.

Missiles

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the safety rules are for the use of missiles on beach ranges.

Lewis Moonie: All Ministry of Defence owned ranges operate under the regulatory system laid down in Joint Service Publication (JSP) 403. Each range will have a Supervising Authority that licenses the activities on the range and carries out regular inspections to ensure compliance with the current regulations.
	Each range has a set of Standing Operating Procedures that govern the implementation of the approved safety procedures for the firing of specified missiles on the range.

Missiles

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will hold an inquiry into the loss of missiles in the Bristol Channel.

Lewis Moonie: The Ministry of Defence's Chief Inspector of Explosives is to conduct an internal Board of Inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of a pallet of munitions prepared for destruction at St. Thomas Head, Weston-super-Mare.

Porton Down

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the use of the London Underground to carry out experiments on the release of substances originating from Porton Down; and if he will categorise those carried out.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	In 1963 and 1964 the former Microbiological Research Establishment at Porton Down carried out two defence trials in the London Underground to assess the risk from biological warfare.
	These trials involved dropping packages containing simulants for biological warfare agents from moving trains and then assessing how far they travelled and how long they survived.
	These defensive sabotage trials were carried out with the knowledge of the relevant Ministers of the day, the London Underground and the oversight of the Biological Research Advisory Board. The reports of the trials have been in the Public Record Office for several years and have been widely reported in the media.

Porton Down

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will list the experiments conducted on the spread of bacterial spores by Porton Down;
	(2)  how many experiments have been conducted by the Ministry of Defence into freeze-dried spores of the microbe Bacillus globigii; and of those, how many involved exposure of the microbe to the general public.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	The Biology Department was formed at Porton Down in 1940 and since then there has been a continuous interest in the spread of micro-organisms, of which bacterial spores are the most hardy.
	Throughout the last 60 years there have been numerous experiments to assess the spread and transmission of bacterial spores. Many of these have been undertaken in the laboratory, some on the Porton Range, at sea and in other open areas.
	There is no definitive list of experiments and trials undertaken by the Ministry of Defence, Porton Down over the years to evaluate the spread of bacterial spores. The research undertaken at Porton Down to improve the UK's understanding of this issue is collated in the following report 'BW and BW Defence Field Trials Conducted by the UK: 1940–1979' by GB Carter. I will place a copy in the Library of the House.

Porton Down

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Government plans to release papers, previously due for release in 1995, held by the Public Records Office concerning experiments into Bacillus globigii spores; and if he will make a statement.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	Since the formation of the Biology Department at Porton Down in 1940 there have been numerous experiments to assess the spread and transmission of bacterial spores, many of which have involved the use of Bacillus globigii.
	At present staff are unable to identify the papers to which the hon. Member is referring. However, if he would like to elaborate on his request I will look into the matter.

Defence Evaluation and Research Agency

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the US Administration concerning the transfer of parts of DERA to the private sector; what concerns they raised; and how they will be resolved.

Lewis Moonie: holding answer 11 March 2002
	As part of the DERA PPP consultation process, we had extensive contacts with and received representations from a wide range of organisations including the US and other Allies. I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to the hon. Members for Truro and St. Austell (Mr. Taylor) on 6 March 2000, Official Report, column 484W, for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock) on 18 May 2000, Official Report, column 205W) and for Aldershot (Mr. Howarth) on 22 June 2000, Official Report, column 241W, detailing these representations.
	On the completion of the Consultation exercise, the US indicated that they welcomed the changes made in response to their representations and those of other interested parties. Mr. Rudy de Leon, US Deputy Secretary for Defense, said
	"I welcome the new proposal, which I believe to be constructive and workable. Inevitably there are a number of detailed issues to be resolved during implementation, but I am confident that these can be addressed satisfactorily."
	During the separation process, we continued to work closely with all our international partners to ensure that they had confidence that the Ministry of Defence would be able to meet all of its obligations under international collaborative agreements. The arrangements put in place at the vesting of QinetiQ as a Plc on 1 July 2001 to ensure that international collaboration continued, are operating successfully.

GR7 Aircraft

Bernard Jenkin: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the cost is of upgrading GR7 aircraft with new engines, electronics and weapons; whether the upgrade of GR7 includes marinisation of the aircraft; what the cost of marinisation programme will be; how many GR7 aircraft will marinised; and when the marinised Harriers will be in service.

Adam Ingram: The Harrier GR7 fleet will undergo two upgrade programmes over the next few years. First, 30 aircraft will be upgraded to GR7a standard by the integration of the Pegasus Mk107 engine. This will provide improved performance, particularly for carrier borne operation. This programme is due to be completed by the end of 2005 at a total cost of approximately £150 million.
	Secondly, all Harrier GR7 and GR7a aircraft will receive avionics and weapons upgrades to provide the aircraft with a much improved capability, in particular the ability to deliver the new generation of smart weapons that are about to enter service. These aircraft will be designated Harrier GR9 and GR9a. Although the detailed content of the GR9 programme and the associated procurement strategy have yet to be finalised, it is estimated that the total cost will be approximately £330 million, of which 75% relates to routine maintenance and modification work being undertaken concurrently with the upgrade to minimise costs.
	RAF Harrier GR7 aircraft have already successfully taken part in carrier operations. Studies to determine what further marinisation modifications will be necessary are being undertaken in addition to the Harrier GR9 upgrade programme.

Explosives

Ian Liddell-Grainger: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  if he will make a statement on the strategic implications of the decision by BAE to move manufacture of explosives abroad;
	(2)  what his policy is on buying British made explosives for ordnance to be used on the battle field;
	(3)  what powers he has to compel the continuation of explosive manufacturing in the United Kingdom.

Lewis Moonie: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 11 March 2002, Official Report, column 656W.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Secondments

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff were seconded between (a) PWC Consulting and PricewaterhouseCooper, (b) Ernst & Young, (c) Deloitte & Touche, (d) KPMG and (e) Andersen and his Department in (i) 1999–2000, (ii) 2000–01 and (iii) April 2001 to the latest date for which figures are available.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary, Cabinet Office on 26 February 2002, Official Report, column 1266w.

Advertising

Alex Salmond: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the cost was of media advertising in each of the past five parliamentary Sessions including the current Session, for his Department in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland; and for the last two parliamentary Sessions and the current parliamentary Session, what the media advertising expenditure was per month in (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Northern Ireland.

Denis MacShane: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Moray (Angus Robertson) on 10 December 2001, Official Report, column 627W.
	Information on spend per month or a breakdown between countries could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Bieh, Sudan

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of the explosions at a UN World Food Programme compound in Bieh, Sudan on 21 February.

Denis MacShane: We were deeply concerned about the attack by a Sudanese Government helicopter on an area next to a World Food Programme feeding station last month. It is our understanding that 18 people were killed and several others injured. This attack is particularly distressing at a time when hopes for peace in Sudan have been growing. Following the incident we made representations at a high level of the Sudanese Government, both in Khartoum and London, and asked the Sudanese Government for a full explanation.
	We were pleased to hear that following pressure from the US and UK, the Government of Sudan have signed an agreement with the US on monitoring of reports of attacks on civilians. We hope that this agreement will help to prevent such incidents happening in the future.
	We shall intensify our efforts to press all parties to the conflict on the need for a swift negotiated settlement in order to end the suffering caused by so many years of civil war.

Press and Public Relations

Andrew Turner: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the annual budget for communications activities, including press, public relations, marketing and internal communications, was for his Department for each financial year from 1997–98 to 2001–02.

Denis MacShane: Neither communications activities nor the sub-headings listed have individual budgets specifically allocated to them within the Foreign and Commonwealth Office accounting system. However it is possible to identify and extract expenditure on some of the listed categories through other budgets.
	Foreign and Commonwealth Office expenditure on communications activities for financial years (FYs) 1997–98 to 2001–02 was as follows:
	
		£ 
		
			  Financial years Expenditure on communications activities 
		
		
			 1997–98 13,169,205 
			 1998–99 11,565,330 
			 1999–2000 12,788,979 
			 2000–01 13,019,789 
			 2001–02(23) 11,578,385 
		
	
	(23) Estimated
	Note:
	The figures include UK expenditure only, on the following categories: press, public relations, marketing and internal communications; including overseas expenditure could be undertaken only at disproportionate cost. 2001–02 is the current financial year, an estimating final expenditure figure is provided.

Overseas Territories (US Leases)

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which of the territories leased for 99 years to the US Administration during World War II are due to be handed back at the end of this lease.

Ben Bradshaw: In what are now the Overseas Territories, there is one: the 1941 lease agreement regarding the former US bases on Bermuda. We are in discussion with the US Government about early termination of this agreement, following which the land in question will be available for alternative use by the Bermuda authorities.

Falkland Islands

Jimmy Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what (a) celebrations and (b) visits are taking place in connection with the 20th Anniversary of the Falklands War.

Denis MacShane: Events are planned on the Falkland Islands for the 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Falklands on 14 June and for Remembrance Sunday on 10 November in a spirit of remembrance and reconciliation rather than celebration.
	The Secretary of State for Defence will visit the Falklands in March. The Minister for the armed forces will attend the June Liberation Day events as the representative of her Majesty's Government and his Royal Highness the Duke of York will attend the Remembrance Day events in November.

Accountancy Contracts

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contracts agreed by his Department with the five largest accountancy firms since May 1997; and what was the total value of contracts with each.

Denis MacShane: Since May 1997 contracts have been awarded in connection with the projects listed below:
	Ernst and Young
	PFI construction of new Embassy in Berlin;
	Development of FCO Telecommunications Network;
	Advice on Vat issues (2 contracts).
	The total value of these contracts is £118,000
	KPMG
	Development and implementation of FCO's Information and
	Communications Technology Strategy;
	Development of PRISM, FCO's new financial and human resource system;
	Forecasting income from Consular Fees;
	Review of Financial Regulations in Overseas Territories.
	The total value of these contracts is £8.1 million.
	Pricewaterhouse Coopers
	FCO Telecommunications Network
	The value of this contract is £813,000.
	No contracts were awarded to Deloitte and Touche or Andersen during this period.

Tibet

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of China regarding the prison sentence imposed on Ngawang Sangdrol for protesting against the occupation of Tibet; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: We raised the case of Ngawang Sandrol with the Chinese authorities at the seventh round of the UK/China Human Rights Dialogue held in London on 19–21 November.

Tibet

George Stevenson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the Government of China to disclose the whereabouts of the XIth Panchen Lama.

Denis MacShane: Yes.

European Union

David Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the development of the open method of coordination in the European Union.

Peter Hain: The Government see the open method of co-ordination as a useful element in the 'toolbox' of instruments for implementation of policy, to be applied on a case-by-case basis.
	In areas where there is little scope for legislative solutions, it can add value at a European level in the form of co-operation, benchmarking and the exchange of best practice. In others the open method may complement a programme-based and legislative approach.

Colombia

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the reports on Colombia presented to the Human Rights Commission by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General for Human Rights Defenders and the Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women.

Denis MacShane: We welcome and support the presentation to the UN Commission on Human Rights of the reports on Colombia by Hina Jilani and Radhika Cooramaswamy, and will be looking at them closely. These reports and others will be taken carefully into account in the preparation of an EU chairman's statement on the situation in Colombia at the forthcoming 58th session of the UN Commission on Human Rights in Geneva.

Colombia

Simon Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to monitor the actions of the self-defence forces in Colombia against human rights organisations; and if he will make a statement.

Denis MacShane: The British embassy in Bogota continues to monitor the situation in Colombia closely, and has regular meetings with human rights NGOs to discuss their concerns about the activities of paramilitary self-defence forces.
	As the EU make clear in its statement of 22 February following the termination of the demilitarised zone, we reject and condemn the practice of kidnapping, extortion and other crimes committed by armed groups in Colombia.
	There can be no tolerance of the campaigns of violence and intimidation by any of the illegally armed groups in Colombia. Their murder and kidnap of elected politicians, trade union leaders, human rights defenders, aid workers and others is unacceptable. They must give up violence and the impunity of those who are involved in supporting their activities must be ended.
	I stressed these points when I spoke to Gustavo Bell, Colombian Vice-President and Minister for Defence, on 7 March.

Madagascar

Richard Spring: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the transparency and fairness of the presidential elections held in Madagascar on 16 December 2001;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the (a) economic and (b) political impact of the recent violence and instability in Madagascar on neighbouring countries on the African mainland;
	(3)  what contacts the Government have had since 16 December 2001 with Mr. Ravalomanana, presidential candidate in the Madagascan elections of December 2001;
	(4)  if he will list, by date, visits by Ministers from his Department to Madagascar since 1 January 2000; and what plans Ministers from his Department have to visit Madagascar in 2002;
	(5)  what Her Majesty's Government's policy is towards the situation in Madagascar; and if he will make a statement;
	(6)  what discussions the Government have had with President Ratsiraka since 16 December 2001 regarding the protests and violence in Madagascar.

Denis MacShane: The UK, along with its EU partners, the US, the Organisation of African Unity and the UN, continues to encourage the two parties in Madagascar, at both local and international level, to find a common solution to the current impasse over the result of the December presidential election. The UK ambassador in Antananarivo, along with other resident ambassadors, is following events closely and maintaining close contact with representatives of the two sides.
	In their draft report on the presidential election, and in a series of communiqués, the consortium of independent election observers (which the UK part-funded) raised questions about the conduct of the elections, including their organisation, as well as their transparency and fairness. Because of the current volatile political situation, there has been no opportunity to examine these claims.
	The crisis in Madagascar has had no impact to date on its neighbouring countries, although there is growing concern among both regional and international investors about the long-term impact on the Madagascan economy of the ongoing general strike. There were no UK ministerial visits to Madagascar in either 2000 or 2001, and there are no plans at present for visits during 2002.

Publicity Expenditure

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the total real terms expenditure of his Department, its agencies and non-departmental public bodies on publicity in each of the years (a) 1997–98, (b) 1998–99, (c) 1999–2000, (d) 2000–01 and (e) 2001–02 (i) to date and (ii) as estimated for the whole of the present year; and if he will break these figures down to indicate expenditure on (A) advertising and (B) press and public relations.

Denis MacShane: The separately identifiable expenditure by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the categories listed by the hon. Member was:
	
		Expenditure on each category(24) -- £
		
			 Year Advertising Press and public relations Total 
		
		
			 1997–98 59,391 — 59,391 
			 1998–99 1,101,033 16,844 1,117,877 
			 1999–2000 56,877 — 56,877 
			 2000–01 53,249 223,024 276,273 
			 2000–02(25) 49,581 65,142 114,723 
		
	
	(24) In real terms
	(25) To date
	The figures provided represent the expenditure of the FCO and not of Wilton Park, our only agency, or our 10 NDPBs; these details are not held centrally and could not therefore be ascertained without disproportionate effort and cost.
	The Government are committed to using only cost effective channels to deliver the publicity necessary to support policy implementation. Paid advertising is only resorted to after careful consideration of the cost benefits. The figures in the table include expenditure on consular publicity but exclude expenditure on advertising for recruitment; identifying this expenditure separately would entail disproportionate effort and cost. The advertising figure for 1998–99 includes £1 million spent on a consular advertising campaign in the run-up to the World Cup 1998 in France. The figures for press and public relations include expenditure on public relations firms as part of FCO information campaigns. In addition to the expenditure identified, there was minor additional expenditure in London and overseas in the years concerned. This cannot be ascertained without disproportionate effort and cost.

LORD CHANCELLOR

Domestic Violence

Joan Ryan: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what has been the impact of the Children Act Sub-committee 'Guidelines for Good Practice on Parental Contact in Cases Where There Has Been Domestic Violence'.

Rosie Winterton: The Lord Chancellor's Department promulgated the Guidelines during Spring 2001. A survey was carried out in the late autumn 2001 on the use and effectiveness of the guidelines. This has shown that they have been broadly well received and have resulted in a generally heightened focus on domestic violence issues. However, there are indications that awareness of the guidelines is patchy, and that more contact centres are needed. The Department is taking steps to address these issues. Copies of the analysis of the survey, including the action to be taken, have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement about the selection process employed to choose the server engine for the 1901 Census on-line service.

Rosie Winterton: The 1901 Census Online Service contract was awarded by the Public Record Office to QinetiQ Ltd., after a full competitive tendering exercise. QinetiQ and its sub-contractors selected the server engine based on robustness and scalability.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the ISP bandwidth of the 1901 Census website was at the time it was suspended; and what the planned ISP bandwidth is after the programme of enhancements has been completed.

Rosie Winterton: The original ISP bandwidth was shared between the Census Online service and other BT Ignite customers. QinetiQ Ltd. advise that a dedicated bandwidth (currently configured at 20Mbit/sec plus burst capability) is now in place which will avoid interference with other ISP customers when the service is re-launched onto general internet access.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if all the errors detected in transcription during the checking of the computer transcriptions of the 1901 Census returns were corrected; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: All errors detected in transcription during the editing of the computer transcriptions of the 1901 Census returns were corrected. The Census online system provides a facility through which any undetected errors may be notified to QinetiQ and, following verification by the Public Record Office, changes will be applied to the database periodically.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what proportion of the pages of the computerised transcriptions of the 1901 Census returns were checked for errors.

Rosie Winterton: The Public Record Office and QinetiQ carried out independent quality assurance checks on a proportion of the electronic pages (images) on all reels of transcribed data. Each reel of data was subject to two checks. A 10 per cent. sample was checked for functionality and data integrity. If it was below the accuracy rate required it was reworked. A separate 2 per cent. sample of each reel was then checked for accuracy of transcription. If the reel failed this test, then the whole reel was checked. Out of 2,152 reels of data, 85 per cent. were subject to this full check.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what was the budget allocated to cover the costs of checking the transcriptions onto computer of the 1901 Census returns.

Rosie Winterton: The major proportion of the work of checking the transcriptions of the 1901 census returns was undertaken by the PRO. £350,000 was allocated by the PRO to quality assure the transcription process, with the remaining quality assurance costs being met by QinetiQ Ltd.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what budget was allocated for the work of transcribing the 1901 Census returns on to computer.

Rosie Winterton: No budget was allocated by the PRO for the work of transcribing the 1901 Census returns on to computer. The cost of transcription was met by QinetiQ Ltd under the terms of its contract. £350,000 was allocated by the PRO to quality assure the transcription process with the remaining quality assurance costs being met by QinetiQ Ltd.

Census 1901

David Lidington: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department who carried out the work of transcribing the 1901 Census reforms on to computer; how these people were selected; and if she will make a statement.

Rosie Winterton: The QinetiQ Ltd team, including Enterprise and Supply Services (ESS), was formed in the initial stages of tendering for the 1901 Census project. The team was formed by QinetiQ from parties considered to be able to offer the best quality and value for money. ESS undertook the transcription of the 1901 Census returns. However to complete the transcription work to the standards and timescales required it became clear that additional resources needed to be employed. A proportion of this work was sub-contracted by ESS, after full competitive tendering, to commercial data input companies based in India, Sri Lanka (Hays Document Management) and in the UK (Atos Origin). All transcription was quality assessed by the Public Record Office and edited where appropriate regardless of where it had been transcribed.

Accountancy Contracts

Austin Mitchell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will list the contracts agreed by his Department with the five largest accountancy firms since May 1997; and what was the total value of contracts with each.

Michael Wills: The Lord Chancellor's Department replies on behalf of its agencies, the Court Service and the Public Guardianship Office, and the Lord Chancellor's other departments, the Northern Ireland Court Service, HM Land Registry and the Public Records Office. The information requested is as follows:
	
		
			  Number of contracts £ 
		
		
			 PricewaterhouseCoopers   
			 1997–98 3 460,056 
			 1998–99 9 2,193,703 
			 1999–2000 3 360,693 
			 2000–01 4 65,812 
			 2001(26) 3 73,717 
			 Ernst and Young   
			 1997–98 nil — 
			 1998–99 1 227,588 
			 1999–2000 1 29,375 
			 2000–01 2 481,749 
			 2001(26) 3 301,720 
			
			 Deloitte and Touche   
			 1997–98 nil — 
			 1998–99 1 231,475 
			 1999–2000 4 77,546 
			 2000–01 4 193,778 
			 2001(26) 11 905,050 
			
			 KPMG   
			 1997–98 3 340,426 
			 1998–99 1 1,433 
			 1999–2000 3 56,025 
			 2000–01 1 4,183 
			 2001(26) 1 29,375 
			
			 Andersen(27) — — 
		
	
	(26) To date.
	(27) No contracts have been let during the time period stated.
	These contracts were primarily let in relation to financial, technical and legal advice for PFI projects, business management advice for major projects and advice on IT requirements.
	The Northern Ireland Court Service could not produce figures for 1997–98, as the information is not stored on their current accounting system.

Laeken Summit

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if she will make a statement on her policy towards paragraph 43 of the Laeken conclusions, on a European network for training magistrates.

Rosie Winterton: The Council document referred to was a discussion document prepared by the Belgian presidency in November 2001. It has been superseded by the presidency conclusions of the European Council in Laeken held on 14 and 15 December 2001.
	The European judicial training network (EJTN) is a network of the national institutions responsible for judicial training in the member states of the European Union, set up by the institutions themselves. The Judicial Studies Board (which has responsibility for the training of judges in England and Wales) has been a member since its establishment in October 2000.
	The Laeken conclusions refer to a proposal made by the French Government in December 2000 to put the network on a legal footing, enabling it to receive financial and administrative support from the European Commission. No discussions of this proposal are scheduled at present.

Private Offices

John Bercow: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what the running costs were of (a) her Ministers' private offices, separately identifying expenditure on staff and (b) her Department in each year from May 1997 to the nearest date for which the information is available.

Rosie Winterton: Expenditure on running costs for Ministers' private offices at the Lord Chancellor's Department, and for the whole Department over the periods requested is set out in the table.
	
		Total admin. expenditure—cash £000
		
			  Ministers' private offices Lord Chancellor's Department 
		
		
			 1997–98(28) 0 0 
			 1998–99 1,055 454,525 
			 1999–2000 1,257 498,744 
			 2000–01 1,585 477,948 
			 January 2001–02 1,292 395,541 
		
	
	(28) Data not readily available without disproportionate cost

Gravesend County Court

Chris Pond: To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many fee exemptions and remissions were issued by Gravesend county court in each six-month period beginning from January 1999.

Michael Wills: Figures concerning the numbers of applications for fee exemption and remission are collected as a single figure and are provided in the table.
	
		Applications for fee exemption/remission made at Gravesend County Court during the selected periods during
		
			 Period Number of applications 
		
		
			 January-June 1999 46 
			 July-December 1999 91 
			 January-June 2000 64 
			 July-December 2000 70 
			 January-June 2001 89 
			 July-December 2001 91